Mega Man Neo
by MetalSonic30
Summary: When the young adventurous 13-year old Rokku travels around Europe during the year 25XX, he meets the legendary and believed-to-be deceased robot from the 21st Century, MEGA MAN! With the help of a special friend, Rokku and Mega Man Megamerge to become the titular Mega Man Neo! Together, the boys will fight against the enemy and their devastating scheme!
1. Chapter 1: They Call Him Rokku Akihiro

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

 _Chapter 1 - They Call Him Rokku Akihiro_

* * *

Dark clouds overcame the previously blue sky. The sun was slowly being consumed by the thunderous mist. The heavy rain soon followed, pouring towards the vast metropolis down below.

The metropolis itself was in peril, however. Large fires and smoke were in various sectors of the city and mechaniloids of various sizes roamed the ruined streets. These were Mavericks…

Innocent people, human and reploid, fled for their lives. But while the innocents ran away, a group of soldiers clad in aquatic blue stepped forth with their giant firearms in hand. They took aim and immediately fired at the Mavericks. The Maverick Foot Soldiers, the Galleons, fired back while aerial mechaniloids such the King Flyer and Cutting Gyros took the skies to get an advantage in the air. The soldiers were not fazed in the slightest by the Mavericks' strategy and took them down with their combined efforts. But, more Mavericks would appear, and the soldiers would continue to shoot at them.

While these brave soldiers fought the Mavericks, one individual was standing before three other individuals with similar appearances. They all wore some type of armor, and if a human or reploid was to look at them, they could potentially mistake them as Mavericks. But the blue one, however, could possibly be seen as some type of " _sentai hero_ ". The others, however, looked a little different. They too had a _sentai_ appearance, but they weren't completely... "heroes." Two out of the three looked like troublemakers or villains, while the other looked quite innocent in comparison. One was clad in red and black, the other was clad in light blue and white, and another clad in yellow. The red and yellow ones were boys and the other was a girl.

Nonetheless, the blue one had an arm cannon for his right hand and it was smoking. His face appeared to be rather youthful and filled with determination, but he looked very antagonized as his eyes darted between each of the three standing before them.

The red one had flames emit from his gauntlets, the light blue one wielded a giant hammer with rainbow data energy swirling around the crystal end like a planet and the yellow one had purple glowing gauntlet wrist-blades.

The Blue Fighter begins to sweat a little, sliding his left leg to get into a better battle stance. The trio seemed to be prepared for anything this hero was going to throw at them.

The yellow one's hand transforms into an arm-cannon and he points it at the Blue Fighter. "I am going to annihilate you now! Let's see your smirk now!"

The girl "lightly" bopped the yellow one's head with her giant hammer, making him wince in pain. She had an annoyed and upset look on her face. "I told you, we aren't going to kill him!"

She then looked at the hero with a rather kind expression. "We're just going to...Umm, knock him out! Yeah, that's right!"

The red one's hands transformed into giant mecha hands. He pounded his fists together with a sadistic grin. "Oh, I have no problem knocking him out!"

 _"Do I...Do I really have what it takes...?"_ The Blue Fighter asks himself, trying to keep his composure. _"Am I truly capable of saving the world...?"_

The Blue Fighter growled as the red one taunted him with his finger, tempting the hero to approach him. The tip of his arm cannon's barrel started to glow a blue color, followed by the sound of something _charging up._

 _"...Of course, I do. I_ have _what it takes...! I made a promise to her that day..."_

The Blue Fighter holds his arm cannon tightly. He adjusts his stance ever so slightly and takes his focus on the red one, having now conjured up a strategy to beat his foes.

 _"...And I'm not going to go back on my word!"_

Once the charging sound is no more, the hero lifts his feet off the ground, rushing towards his opponents with a battle cry.

 **"Hyyyrraaaah!"**

* * *

 **A Month Earlier...  
** **June 25, 25XX**

In the serene blue horizon, a female house sparrow descends peacefully towards a nearby tree branch, a pink worm in her mouth. The bird moves about, taking tiny little hops around the tree, going deeper into the greenhouse. Inside, the sparrow holds the worm above a nest filled with five baby sparrows. The babies all grab onto the worm, fighting over who gets what part of the worm. Suddenly, a male house sparrow enters the scene, holding two worms, one pink and one brown and pink, as if it's been in the dirt. The male sparrow tosses both worms into the nest, and the babies have no reason to fight anymore.

The grass was green, the flowers were like a rainbow in the sky, the clouds were beautiful, and everyone around this area was happy and so peaceful. This place of serenity was the country known as France; located in Europe.

There were rumors spreading that something big had gone on over at Cinq Ville, a city in America, involving the Slither Inc. corporation. Some say that the president of said company, Serpent, did something evil. Perhaps these are just rumors since Serpent is welcomed as a hero ever since he and his company unearthed ancient technology and even provided Europe and Asia with multiple energy sources while providing Cinq Ville with it. Serpent was known worldwide, but most people had their suspicions on the Reploid due to rumors from random strangers or even ex-members of Slither Inc.

However, these rumors turned out to be true and Serpent has died one month ago near the end of May. His company's status is currently unknown. However Legion is sorting out the company's fate.

The baby sparrows chirp in cheer, happy that they have gotten their breakfast. Suddenly, a window opens in a brown house. A red-head young woman with golden eyes opened the window, her arms spread out, holding the glass. She inhaled and exhaled happily as she smiled at the nearby sparrow family.

"...Today's a new day..."

The woman entered back into her home, looking around her living room, which was tidy as she had always expected it. The woman was wearing a white tank-top and black pajama pants. The woman appeared to be between ages 16 and 17. She looked at her heart-shaped clock above a nearby desk which read "7:33 AM". She sighed and headed towards the stairs and climbed. Upstairs was a bathroom and her room. She continued to go further upstairs, which led to an attic room. Up there, there was a Six-Shelf with the bottom shelf being a cabinet. On all of the shelves, aside from the cabinet, were books of multiple genres; adventure, mystery, suspense, hurt/comfort, friendship, fiction, nonfiction, you name it. It was like a mini-library.

The woman looked over to her right and smiled. There was a small bed over there, but really caught her attention was a young boy sleeping on top of the covers with an opened book covering his eyes. He snored quite peacefully. The boy had brown, slightly spiky hair. He had a white T-shirt with black pants. The boy had white and black socks on. His left leg was dangling off the bed while his right stayed where it was. She walked over to the boy, took the book off his face and shook his body softly. She opened her lips, speaking...

"...Hey, kid... You gotta wake up now..."

The boy shook around with a displeased groan. He wanted more sleep. The woman got up and smiled. She chuckled to herself as she stared at the sleeping boy.

"Poor kid... He must have spent all night reading my books..." she said. "Heh heh... I know the boy said he wanted to read my books, but I would have never expected him to read all night. He must love to read... That's the type of people I like... Smart and knowledgeable... His parents must be real proud of a guy like him..."

The boy suddenly yawned, slowly opening his light blue eyes as he looked over at the window on the right side. The sun beamed through the window as he stared at the glass. He looked over to his left and saw the woman staring at him. The woman quickly blinked as she instantly realized that the boy was awake.

"Oh, Rocky. You're awake." the woman exclaimed.

The boy sighed with a smile on his face.

"Cynthia, my name is _Rokku_ , not _'Rocky'_."

The girl, known as Cynthia, had a drop of sweat slide down her cheek as she had said his name incorrectly.

"Oops. Sorry kiddo!" Cynthia said rubbing the back of her head.

"It's okay Cynthia," Rokku said with a smile. "What's up?"

"It's time for you to go. Remember? You told me to wake you up at this specific time... Well, it's been 2 minutes since you didn't wake up." Cynthia explained.

"Oh, right! I gotta get going!" Rokku quickly jumped off the bed and stretched all about. As he was stretching around, Cynthia spoke up...

"If you want, you can take a shower. You know where the bathroom's at."

"Thanks!" Rokku said as he walked over to his bag.

He pulled out a black T-shirt. He pulled out navy blue shorts, a belt with a light blue line, a white line, and black line, as well as a yellow hexagon shaped belt buckle, and the same pair of socks similar to what he had on. Rokku went downstairs and Cynthia followed. While Rokku went into the bathroom, Cynthia went into her room and towards her closet. She slid the closet open and brought out a white dry towel along with a white towel for washing. She closed the closet and went to the bathroom.

"Here." said Cynthia as she gave Rokku the towels.

"Thank you." Rokku said.

Rokku closed the door and locked it. Cynthia chuckled to herself as Rokku would actually lock the bathroom door.

Rokku sat his new clothes on the rack and turned on the water for a shower. While Rokku was taking a shower, Cynthia went into her room and undressed. She came out three minutes later with her hair tied into a ponytail (from the top). She had a green and gold turtleneck sweater on with a black, no sleeved bodysuit-like shirt underneath. She had her black fingerless gloves with the white fingertips on with white cuffs on the gloves. She had on purple pants with green civilian shoes on. She walked back upstairs and saw that the books Rokku was reading were all in a neat stack next to the bed. She grabbed the books and placed them back on the shelf according to category and in alphabetical order. She fixed up the bed nice and neat again.

Cynthia headed downstairs to her living room and towards a door. She opened the door and placed a stopper to keep it open. The room she was in was large and tons of computers were there. There was a back room that led to a workspace. Nearby the door leading outside was a brown desk with a CLOSED/OPEN sign sitting there. She looked at the clock and it read "7:36 AM".

Rokku had a fresh pair of black boxers. He had used the white dry towel drying off his hair. He used his hands to create the "spikiness" on his hair. He grinned at the mirror as his hair looked "awesome as always". He grabbed his shirt and threw it on along with his shorts, clicking his belt buckle to hold his shorts up. He unlocked and opened the bathroom door and headed upstairs to the attic again.

Once in the attic, the young boy went into his grey and black backpack and threw his dirty clothes into a smaller pocket for where he threw his dirty clothes in. He went over to the door and closed it slightly to reveal a hanger attached to the back of the door. This was where his blue collared jacket-hoodie was at. The jacket-hoodie had no sleeves and had a light blue collar (that looked like a handkerchief/bandanna strangely). He went into the coat pocket and pulled out two, big black fingerless gloves with a white cuff lock around the wrist area of the gloves. They had holes open for fingers to enter. Rokku threw the gloves on and his fingers were shown. These gloves did not have the white fingertips like most of them did, revealing that these were his actual fingers.

Rokku grabbed his jacket-hoodie and threw it on; It went down all the way to his waist. He then snatched his backpack and threw it on his back as he headed downstairs.

Cynthia grabbed the sign and placed it outside the door. It read OPEN. Cynthia went to her desk and sat on her swivel-chair, stretching out her arms. Rokku had grabbed his blue civilian shoes and threw them on his feet. He walked through the main door and stood over the desk. He had a smile on his face as he stared at Cynthia.

"I never did ask, but what do you do around here?" Rokku asked. "Is this place secretly a fast food restaurant or something? Or maybe a library?"

Cynthia giggled and reminded Rokku what her job was, "Rokku, my job is intense research, not order books for you like a library."

"You must be 17..." Rokku started.

"16." Cynthia clarified.

"16..." Rokku corrected, "... and you are doing "intense" research? In a top secret government sorta way?"

"Sure, let's go with that." Cynthia said with a snarky attitude.

"Anyway, thanks for allowing me to stay here for the night!" Rokku said.

"Eh, whatever. When I heard that name of yours, I knew you belonged to Cass and Joe." Cynthia smirked.

"Cass and Joe?" Rokku said in surprise, piecing together names Cynthia had said. By Cass, Cynthia meant 'Cassandra' and by Joe, she meant 'Joseph'. "That's my Mom and Dad! How do you know them?"

"Well, let's just say I'm a family friend." She replied with a sly smile.

"Hehehe, is that so?" Rokku asked. "Anyway, I better get going then!"

"Hold up a sec." Cynthia said. Rokku turned around and looked at Cynthia.

"Wha?"

Cynthia reached into her desk's drawer and pulled out a red and green card with an upside down triangle symbol on the upper left-hand corner. It had Cynthia's phone number and her job, which was researching. Rokku looked at Cynthia who gave her a wink.

"Call me if you ever want to see me. I'm kinda like your Aunt, ya know~" She quipped.

"A 16-year-old Aunt? Haha, sure! You bet~!" Rokku replied as he was heading to the door again. "Well, see you around!"

Cynthia waved to the teen with a smile.

A smile was on Rokku's face as he was walking outside. The entire area was a large open green field. It was quite beautiful. From afar, Rokku could see a large city. That was his next destination.

"Alright! My adventure awaits, so there's no time to waste!" Rokku cheered to himself.


	2. Chapter 2: Wandering Shadow

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

 _Chapter 2 - Wandering Shadow_

* * *

 **June 25, 25XX  
**

 _I was told that I could be whatever I wanted. Inspired by my own name and what I've observed, I chose to be a kunoichi. I made it my goal to become what I desired to be, training each and every day through the use of simulations and...actual opponents. It was what made me happy. The idea to learn Ninjutsu delivered passion to my life. My skills and motivation grew to be stronger than even I thought. I felt like it was my mission to become a kunoichi._

He said I could be whoever I wanted. My Father gave me that choice...

However, I've come to learn that my father was not who I thought he was. He has filled my head with lies and deceit... I had to see for myself if the world that I lived on was exactly as he described. This world was recovering from the countless wars of the past.

Despite how much I hate that man, he has been kind to me as I grew and evolved from a child to a young woman. He acted like a father should. He truly gave me a choice in how I live my life, and with that decision, I became a kunoichi. It was because of him that I formed a fighting style; Ansatsuryu Ninjutsu; an amalgamation of already existing martial art styles such as Ninjutsu and Bushin to name a few.

My father even helped me by providing me with the armor I wear... Along with my blade; my katana infused with concentrated energy...

I have yet to create a name for it...

No matter how many good things my father has done for me, there is no doubt that he is an evil man. He has told me that this world was everything but good. I, however, beg to differ.

I believe that there is hope in this world. Our world could not have survived for so long by ruthless actions. There had to be good people in this world. It wasn't just engulfed by darkness. Light existed too, I am sure.

There was a benefit to my transformation. While the world was recovering from their most recent war, the resurgence of Mavericks arrived; Mavericks of all shapes and sizes roam throughout this world. With my power, I can eliminate them.

 _My name is Shade, and I am a kunoichi._

* * *

Dark clouds formed throughout the night and the light coming from the bright moon beamed through them.

Somewhere in Japan, in this barren wasteland was but a single individual; A young woman, accompanied by decayed vegetation and cracks on the ground. Her eyes were closed as if she had little worries. She had the appearance of youthful yet mature teen with long black hair that extended down to her knees. In addition, she had light, fair skin, and, most noticeably, beautiful crimson eyes. She wore black circular ear-pieces with a red glowing light inside the center of both; however, her left ear plate had a black antenna with a white tip. She also wore a short, sleeveless, but simple black Japanese kimono shirt with white trims. Her kimono was held together by a purple girdle belt wrapped around her waist.

Much like any ninja, the woman wore black armor-like gauntlets and boots with some white pieces on them. Underneath her kimono, she wore a short-sleeved skin-tight bodysuit that extended to her belly. Following that was skin-tight shorts, leggings that extended beneath her knees, and long fingerless gloves underneath her gauntlets. The skin-tight clothing was a lighter shade of black but with a purple tint.

This girl had a long midnight scarf wrapped around her neck and covered her mouth. The scarf had two long tails that extended just a little bit past her own hair.

The teen, who was named Shade, walked in this arid land, her hands balled into fists. The ravenette opened her once closed eyes with an angered look on her face. She opened her hand, and all of a sudden, a katana materialized into her hand. She stopped right where she was. Her face expressed little emotion. It was as if she was prepared.

Shade thought she was alone in this wasteland, but she was wrong to think as such. Standing before her were a group of Mavericks; specifically Galleons of different types: Hunters, Assaults, etc.

The girl's grip on her katana tightened.

Shade rushed at the Galleons, easily dodging the enemy fire and slashing them to pieces. She swiftly evades a slice attack from a Galleon Assault's blade and merely kicks its chest. The force of her single kick makes the mechaniloid break down immediately.

 _"Even though these Mavericks are a threat to humanity, they are incredibly weak."_ She thought, killing more of them with her katana. _"With ease, I scatter their broken mechanical pieces. To me, they are nothing but fodder."_

Shade finished eliminating the group that was unfortunate enough to get in her way. With an annoyed sigh, the ravenette pressed onward, killing more Mavericks that crossed her path.

However, she would soon come to learn the reason as to why so many Mavericks were around. From afar, the kunoichi spotted a factory and Mavericks "patrolling" around it. If Mavericks were surrounding a factory like soldiers, then something bigger must be going on.

 _"Perhaps what lies ahead may tell me what's going on here."_ Shade thought.

She sped towards the building as her decision was made clear. Silently, she dashed into the shadows by the building and kicked her feet up the wall and stopped once she reached the top; grabbing the edge and pulling herself onto the rooftops with ease. But she did not rest quite yet. Immediately after soundlessly landing, she bolted for another obstacle that cast a shadow. Shade knew that the shadows wouldn't hide her completely due to the fact that the Mavericks were capable of seeing in the dark, but she knew they wouldn't look in the shadows unless they had a reason to. Besides, she believed that her dark clothing would camouflage her.

On the roof of the second highest building within the factory's area, more Galleons were patrolling around.

Admittedly, Shade was a little caught off guard to find Mavericks on the roofs.

 _"Whoever is in charge here doesn't want any unauthorized individuals in this building."_ Shade thought. She narrowed her eyes as she peeked around the corner to look for any openings that would lead her inside. On the roof she was currently on, there was a door that would more than likely lead her inside. However, she knew that would be far too easy and unwanted attention could potentially be drawn should she make that choice. She wanted an entryway that was as quiet as possible; Not just because she was a kunoichi, but because she did not want to make any mistakes that could eliminate her chances of quelling her curiosity on the Maverick infested factory. _"But, that won't stop me from getting to the bottom of this."_

She examined her surroundings and each roof that was within her sight. Knowing that she had no efficient way of entry on the current roof, she decided to move on to another for better options. After a few close calls of being detected by the enemy, Shade may have potentially found her entryway. Her eyes were locked on the vent shaft near ground level. There were many ventilation shafts in the area, but Shade needed one that had a path that could get her inside undetected. Without a second thought, Shade removed the hatch but kept it in her hand as she slipped inside the tunnel, closing the shaft by returning the hatch to its proper place.

* * *

Inside a dark room was but a single man; a man appearing to be in his late teens. Despite the dimness of the room, one could see that this individual appeared to be impatient as he tapped his index finger against the arm of his swivel chair. A vicious grimace grew, revealing his sharp teeth.

However, his attitude changed when he suddenly heard a robotic female voice speak from the speakerphone on the office desk.

 _MOTION TRIGGER IN: WEST BUILDING 1F VENT._

The individual grinned at the warning and stood up from his chair. He slammed his fist into his open palm and cracked each of his knuckles on both hands as he made his way to the door.

" _Heh Heh Heh... Looks like I can do something about my boredom..._ "

* * *

Shade had successfully made it inside the factory. The second she landed on the ground, she went for the shadows again; hiding behind oil-filled barrels. From where Shade stood, she could see the entire picture being presented to her:

This was a Maverick Mechaniloid Production Factory, and these mechaniloids were being made at an unusual pace. Galleons, Cannonwalkers, Cavity CWs, and much more were being made. There were a few mechaniloids that Shade didn't quite recognize. The frame for the unrecognizable seemed ancient but updated. Nonetheless, they looked just as dangerous as Galleons and the like.

 _"A Factory for producing Mavericks... How asinine."_ Shade thought irritably. While watching the process of each mechaniloid's creation, Shade watched the other Galleons patrolling much like the ones outside. _"I cannot allow this factory to continue operations. I may consider the Galleons weak, but in numbers, they pose a significant threat; especially in a highly populated area."_ Shade narrowed her eyebrows. _"And I recall an Innerpeace area to be nearby. Once enough are produced, they will likely go there. I will prevent that from happening."_

She knew what she had to do, and this would undoubtedly alert the patrol of her presence. _"To halt all operations in this factory, I need to go to the power source; The 'Core'."_. Shade had observed how quickly these Mavericks were being produced, so she knew that something was speeding up the process. _"Once I find it, I destroy it. Simple as that."_

Shade continued her trek around the factory, avoiding detection and leaving the shadows every once and awhile to get around.

 _"Likely, the core would be somewhere secure; perhaps underground if this factory has any floors down under. No fool would keep their power source out in the open for some average visitor to see."_ Shade thought. Her guess was perhaps true, for Shade had spotted an elevator that led down below in one place and a few entrances to the stairs in other places. However, she figured that cameras would be present in elevators and the stairways. In addition to hiding in the shadows whenever she could to hide from the patrol, she did it to evade detection from the cameras that she saw.

Although she was very confident in her abilities, she had to admit that she felt a little stuck on her next move. She wished to remain unseen for as much as she could and avoid any unnecessary confrontation, but how could she get to the lower floors without being seen? She had no way to scramble the video feed on the cameras without destroying them completely.

It was there that she came up with a possible solution. It was a bit bizarre and _very_ risky, but Shade grew desperate. She moved closer to the elevator and watched as two Galleons walked into the elevator. Once the doors closed, Shade rushed to them, immediately materializing her beam-katana and driving it into the hole in the middle. With her strength, she forced the doors open and gain access to the elevator shaft. She was very fortunate that the elevator the Galleons previously entered into was going up and also _VERY_ fortunate that she was not spotted yet. She now had time to get down to the lowest floor this factory had. Jumping down below, Shade would feel the wind push past her as she dove down. Before hitting the ground, she made contact with the wall to slow her descent until she touched the bottom. Then she immediately repeated what she did earlier to open this elevator door and enter inside.

She was now in a hallway with minimal light. Judging from how many elevator doors she saw during her quick descent, she was on B3F; the third Basement. Quickly getting down to the end of the hall, she found an area complete with further machinery producing Mavericks and storage containers containing Energy Crystals. This area seemed quite significant as she saw large mechaniloids that she was unfamiliar with. They were 2 times bigger than her and seemed sturdy and powerful. Fortunately, they were permanently inactive. Perhaps the one in charge plans on recycling the parts for other uses. But, that's what Shade would do if she was an evil individual producing mechaniloids.

Aside from the storage of E-Crystals and inactive mechaniloids, she felt that a place that was producing mechaniloids as quickly as the ones on 1F would be monitored or patrolled due to its significance, but she didn't see any active mechaniloids doing such a thing.

Walking along the black factory balcony, Shade kept her guard up. As quiet and "empty" as this place seemed, she prepared herself for anything surprising.

" _ **Hey, Ninja Girl.**_ "

Shade stopped dead in her tracks when she saw someone land a few feet in front of her. Standing before her was a young individual wearing red, black and yellow armor. The young man had light skin and fiery red-orange, spiky hair. His crimson eyes were fixed on Shade's equally crimson eyes as a smug smirk grew on his face.

"I didn't think a wanderer like you would find this place." The teenager said. "Still, you have some crappy stealth for a Ninja Girl, don't you think?"

"How did you know I was here?" Shade asked simply, ignoring his taunts. Judging from how she asked that, it appeared that she knew this individual.

"There was a motion trigger in the vents on 1F." He answered. "You really could've just entered inside the joint through actual doors instead of trying to be sneaky."

Shade was unaware of motion detection in the vents. She felt slightly dejected knowing that she was already caught the moment she entered the building. However, she would not put up with her enemy's insults. She knew she had made a mistake. All she needed to do was correct it.

"Explain, Ignitus." Shade demanded. "What is going on in this place?"

The teen, known as Ignitus, shrugged with an apathetic look. "It's a Maverick Production Factory." He answered.

Shade's eyebrows narrowed at his response. The answer wasn't at all satisfactory for he told her something she already knew. However, she has observed the place ever since she "snuck" in. Since Ignitus was going to be uncooperative, Shade decided to tell him her assumptions.

"As if that wasn't obvious enough." Shade replied. "But let me tell you what I think is going on: This is a once-abandoned factory used to produce mechaniloids. You wouldn't have bothered with this place otherwise. With that said, you are using a power source to ramp up production."

"Based on past experiences, I would say you are using a _**Model W**_ to do it." Shade smirked a smile that had yet to be seen. "Is my assumption accurate?"

Ignitus was no longer in a taunting mood as his expression went from smug to agitate in an instant.

"Your reaction tells me that I am correct." Shade said. She once again materialized her beam-katana and propped the blunt edge of the blade on her shoulder. "I am going to destroy this factory. You are welcome to try and stop me."

Ignitus growled viciously at the invitation to battle. He slammed his fists together and a bright flash of light engulfed the both of them. His arms were enlarged and sturdier than before. Each arm even had a barrel attached on top.

"Gladly!" Ignitus cried. Without skipping a beat, Ignitus dashed towards the kunoichi. She jumped back to dodge the fiery foe's punch. Once she landed on her feet, she charged towards Ignitus to shoulder tackle him. Ignitus grunted from the attack but regained his stance.

"I could've stabbed you right there if I chose to." Shade told him. "You were left completely open. You have so much power Ignitus. Unfortunately, your temper blinds your-"

"Shut up and fight!" Ignitus barked, jabbing at her, only for her to dodge the punch again. However, she did not retaliate with her own attack for Ignitus was continuously trying to punch her. Shade evaded more of his punches and she noticed that something was off about her opponent.

 _"Ignitus isn't fighting me like he usually does... Why isn't he...?"_ Shade wondered. She finally took the opportunity to clock her foe in the jaw.

" **Gah!** "

Ignitus winced at the pain he received from the ravenette. She may appear "tiny" to him, but she was stronger than she looked; that much Ignitus knew. His breathing became erratic as his anger had risen.

"You aren't fighting me like normal, Ignitus." Shade stated. "Why are you holding back? You never hold back."

Ignitus continued to breathe heavily, but he charged at her again and tried to kick her sideways. Because Shade swiftly jumped completely over him, his kick failed to connect with his target.

Shade folded her arms and looked at the red-orange haired individual. Her eyes were completely locked with his and she could see the intense rage in them.

"...I see." Shade began. She took a moment to look at her surroundings; at the machinery and the mechaniloids that were either inactive or in the process of being created. She then returned her attention to Ignitus who was too angered to think clearly. "This factory truly is significant. Unfortunately, you cannot fight me to your heart's content because you need this factory intact."

Ignitus roared and threw another predictable punch. Shade, deciding to "tease" him, jumped into the air and placed her hand on his arm to propel her flip. She landed back on the ground and looked at Ignitus once more. "You like to be brutal and destructive on the battlefield, but you can't exactly do that here, now can you?"

"Shut up!"

Yet another punch was thrown and yet again Shade dodged the punch. "You didn't exactly think this through did you? You were so ready to pick a fight, but you can't go all out when you're surrounded by assets necessary to your plan."

"Shut up! Shut up! **SHUT UP!** "

Shade dodged one more punch and jumped onto the rails, standing on them with complete ease and balance. "I don't know why you are using this factory, but honestly, I don't care. Since you can't truly fight me effectively, you lose this battle."

Shade dashed towards Ignitus, grabbed his face and slammed him into the ground.

" **AGH!** "

Ignitus stayed on the ground. His head was partially through the ground since they were on the factory balcony. Shade slowly got up and made her katana disappear. She did not even have to use the katana in the fight. After taking a moment to look at Ignitus' trembling body, she walked away. After a few steps, Shade stopped and materialized something in her hand.

"The next time you try to pick a fight with me, chose a wiser battle arena that will not limit you." Shade advised. She then threw the materialized object at Ignitus and he yelped in pain.

Stabbed in his chest was a kunai. It managed to pierce past the armor and hit his chest underneath it. Ignitus growled as he watched Shade left.

 _"D-Dammit..."_ He cursed.

With Ignitus subdued, Shade leaped off the balcony to proceed onto her search for the core; The core known as _**Model W**_.

* * *

Shade trekked through the factory until she found the Model W. She discovered that it was hidden further down below, past B3F. The Model W was giving off an evil aura and was hooked onto many cords. Given the properties of Model Ws, Shade was surprised she couldn't sense it's evil presence earlier. She surmised that it was because it was deeper underground. Shade glared at the large Biometal and pulled out her katana.

"It's time to destroy you." Shade announced.

Immense energy began to build into the blade and it even started to glow a blue light. Focusing her power into the blade until she felt was enough, she jumped into the air, spun her body once and screams out,

" ** _Genmu Strike!_** "

A powerful wave slash strikes the Model W. The impact of the attack makes the Biometal explode and break down into pieces. Shade landed on her feet and gave a sigh of relief at a job well done. However, she immediately learned that the destruction of the Model W not only halted operations but practically began a self-destruct sequence.

"The Model W truly WAS the power source...?!" Shade exclaimed aloud. "I suppose the factory can't function without the Model W's immense power..."

Shade began her escape, but soon came to another thought, _"Or maybe, Ignitus somehow rigged this Biometal to make the place explode should anyone either take it or destroy it. Tch. Whatever. The Model W is destroyed, so no more Mavericks will be produced here."_

With the factory exploding, Shade no longer needed to worry about stealth. She went for the stairways instead of the elevator and leaped off each set of stairs until she got 1F. Before she got to an exit, Ignitus appeared, clutching his chest where the kunai once was. He frantically looked around the area, watching the place destroy itself. He noticed Shade and darted his eyes at her.

"You just _had_ to put your nose where it didn't belong, huh?!" He snarled.

"If what you were doing was a threat to humanity, then yes, I had to." Shade retorted. "Your operations were over the moment I set foot in this place."

Ignitus growled. "Bah! It doesn't matter anyway! If me and my siblings can't take you down, then _**the**_ ** _Elite Slayer_** definitely can."

Shade's interest was peaked. The Elite Slayer? Who was that?

"She'll make sure that all of your efforts and crappy heroics will be meaningless...!" Ignitus continued. He then pointed at her dramatically. "If I ever see you again, I'll pay you back for the humiliation you brought to me today. Next time, the arena will be suitable for me, and I won't hold back...!"

With his final words, Ignitus turned into a beam of light, teleporting out of the exploding factory. Shade was left confused, but her pondering would have to be postponed. First, she needed to get out.

Leaving the factory, she walked back into the barren wasteland. She was sure that the Galleons that were in the surrounding area were destroyed by the explosions. Shade walked casually from the explosions, stopping once she was far enough to watch the factory's final explosion that was superior to the ones before it. Satisfied, Shade continued to walk away.

* * *

Shade stood silently outside the boat she had boarded hours ago. She watched the moon reflect off the beautiful ocean. She had finally left Japan and was headed to her next destination.

However, throughout the entire trip, Shade pondered on the "Elite Slayer" that Ignitus spoke of.

 _If me and my siblings can't take you down, then **the Elite Slayer** definitely can._

Those words troubled her. Who was she? What is she capable of? So many questions that could not be answered right now. She knew this, though:

She was going to go face-to-face with the Enforcer soon, and she had to be prepared for when she arrived. For now, Shade needed to rest. In a few hours, she was going to reach her stop, and then her journey would continue...

* * *

Rokku had left Cynthia's place some time ago to continue his adventures. Before the day had concluded, the brunette had made it to Vivant City, one of the biggest cities in Europe. It's rumored that this city was where the people fought the Mavericks a few years after the end of the Neo Arcadia Wars. This was when the Mavericks suddenly reappeared after supposedly being destroyed.

Nonetheless, Rokku enjoyed his time in Vivant City. He got to learn that this place hosted an art museum. He even got to get himself into a painting when a well-known artist wanted to paint a group picture. Of course, he had to pay a little bit of cash, but it was worth it. Unlike most people, Rokku tends not to use E-Crystals as a form of currency. Instead, he uses Zenny, a type of currency that has resurfaced. The last time this currency was used was in the 22nd Century. Since then, E-Crystals has been a currency. Nowadays, both E-Crystals and Zenny are forms of currency as E-Crystals still have many uses including powering up machinery and nourishment for some reploids.

Rokku used his Zenny to buy a few things, such as Vivant City's "legendary" Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream and, more importantly, a sleeping bag. Unfortunately, Rokku was unsuccessful in finding a place to sleep in tonight. However, the brunette was happy to sleep outside, so long as he was safe. The safest place Rokku could think of was...the roof of a randomly chosen building. As strange as his choice was, Rokku was quite comfortable, especially with his recently purchased sleeping bag.

He knew that if he was going on some cool adventures, he needed to be prepared to sleep anywhere; even outside or the roof of a moving truck! Maybe not that last one, but the point has been made!

The 13-year old was ready for tomorrow to come. Once the sun has risen, Rokku was going to get going to the next important city. Nothing was going to stop his love for thrills and adventure!


	3. Chapter 3: Destined Link

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 3 - Destined Link

* * *

 _Warning: This is a pretty long chapter._

* * *

 **June 26, 25XX  
**

Rokku awoke from his slumber, taking a moment to yawn and stretch his arms. He got out of his sleeping bag and stood at the edge of the roof he was currently on to bask in the morning sun. Sighing contentedly, Rokku returned to his sleeping bag to start rolling it up for travel. Under normal circumstances, the boy would've went into a shower and brushed his teeth, but he wasn't exactly given permission to be on this roof. It appeared that he would have to skip his morning routine for now as he needed to get going.

Once everything was ready to go, Rokku climbed down back to the ground via the use of ladders and actually jumping down to the ground at a high enough point. He didn't get on the roof through normal means; rather he climbed up there by performing parkour. He had learned it from his parents, Cassandra and Joseph. Adventurers had to learn such thing if they wanted to get around to see the best places.

He's learned quite a few things from them, such as hand-to-hand combat. Rokku wasn't as good as them, though. Joseph was quite the street fighter during his school days and sometimes got in trouble for it. He's definitely a nice guy, but sometimes, he got a little _too_ competitive. Rokku would be taught street fighting, and although he found it useful, he didn't quite see the fun in hurting others like his father did. While Rokku was always for friendly competition, he was unable to see fighting as "friendly".

Nonetheless, Rokku wanted to go to his next destination. But first, he needed some quick parkour exercise. He ran through the bustling Vivant City; jumping onto walls and through building structures, performing public parkour. It was like the metropolis was a level in a video game except there were no enemies but hazards like moving vehicles and some parts of the environment.

Eventually, after getting through at least 10 minutes of parkour, Rokku concluded his little exercise. He was getting looks from the residents of Vivant City, so he had moved to a part of the city where the residents weren't aware of Rokku's harmless hijinks. The exercise has gotten the boy pumped up to continue his travels; though he'd be lying if he said the exercise didn't drain him a little. Before he would leave Vivant City, Rokku wanted to get himself a little snack for the road.

He went to get himself another ice cream cone; something he had gotten last night as well. As he made his way to the large gate that would grant access entry or exit, he looked around to see the residents of the city. One particular group caught the brunette's eye. Two human teenagers were hanging around with a reploid, seemingly having a happy conversation. There was an older human man with the two humans, and he had more mechanical implants than them; so much that it made him appear to be a cyborg like in science fiction... Though, it can't really be calling "fiction" if it has become a reality, now can it?

Seeing the three humans so happy together made Rokku feel a little...envious. He didn't think about it before, but he was going on his journey alone. His parents went on adventurers together, his grandfather, Thaddeus, had a few of his friends by his side during his travels, but Rokku... Rokku was alone. In truth, Rokku only has one actual friend, and she's back home in the hospital resting. He wanted his friend to travel with him when the time was right, but unfortunately, she caught a disease at the worst possible time. Not only has she currently lost her speech capabilities, but she felt fragile and weak. Recovery was a definite possibility, but it was also a impossibility. It would take time; a lot of it.

He's been alone for awhile, but it never really bothered him until later years. He wanted a companion with him too but unfortunately, he does not know how to go about it. He's socially awkward and that was his weakness. He was home schooled all his life and he doesn't understand a lot of the social norms nowadays. He doesn't even understand romance or love. Despite all that, he was friendly and helpful, but his interactions with other people his age prove to be embarrassing for him. His friend at home is the only one around his age who he's comfortable being with. In hindsight, Rokku probably should've thought a little more about his trip before going on with it.

Observing the humans and single reploid again made Rokku think about something else: The Equality Law. His Mother, Cassandra, had always told him about the law and its importance as well as its danger.

" _Those many years ago, humans and reploids agreed to bridge the gap between the two species. According to the law, humans must have mechanical bodies at a certain age, and reploids must have limited lifespans like a human. Many humans go overboard with the mechanical bodies, as you can easily tell by the black bodies they possess. Some, however, where black bodysuits over their human skin. Also, some humans don't even receive "mechanical bodies" but just implants within their muscles and skin._ "

Rokku and his family took a dangerous risk. They were ignoring the human part of the law, meaning that Rokku himself was a pure human. He did not have mechanical implants like he's supposed to. His family did not approve of the family, but they banded together to show that by not going to Legion. They managed to get away with this through the use of "disguises"; including reploid ears that proved to be fake. They used fake Identifications to get around without suspicion. This method has worked for over a century. However, despite the family's disapproval of the law, they never had the courage to truly do anything about it. None of them want to be branded Mavericks. However, Rokku doesn't know what happens afterwards, but being branded Maverick should tell him what it means.

After taking a moment to recall his Mother's words, Rokku left the city through the entryway, walking along the path towards another city known as Kairos City. He had no plans of heading there right away, however. He was going to the meadows, where there's a large open field with no buildings and little technology. His thoughts had altered his course and he needed time to think; somewhere away from the general populace and, obviously, away from danger.

Where Rokku lived, the Enstratos region, there were four primary cities; Luna City, Vivant City, Kairos City, and Deza City; all in which are affiliated with one nation: **Unity**. Across the world each continent had a government nation. Europe had **Unity** , Asia had **Hikari** , and America had **Legion**. Legion was the boding government of the whole world. The other nations had their own occupations but they all followed one of the few laws: The Equality Law.

It only made sense that Legion became the leaders of the world, after all that's happened to the planet. Even prior to the Neo Arcadia Wars, the world wasn't in good shape. Because of the Elf Wars, the bloodiest war in recorded history (although long forgotten by almost all residents of Earth), 60% of humans and 90% of reploids were exterminated as a result of said war. Many parts of the world were devastated too. Neo Arcadia was created for humans and reploids to live peacefully after that war and it took sometime for the rest of the world to regain the vegetation it once had. Area Zero was the last known area where true vegetation grew and it was preserved for the greater good.

Eventually, the nature returned and Legion helped bring the world together as it was back in the 21st Century. Of course, there was still the Maverick issue. Nobody seemed to know where they come from and why they attack humans and reploids alike. This issue is still prevalent even today and fortunately, there were groups who fight off the Mavericks to protect their people. One of these groups are known as The Guardians who, while mostly sticking around in Cinq Ville and Legion, North America, travel around the world. Another was the Milos Defense Force and they hover around Europe.

And then there's Innerpeace and Outlands. If one took an airship, they can notice tons of circular sections which were the Innerpeace areas. Those were considered the "Safe Zones". The Outlands are unsafe most of the time because of the Mavericks. There are also large desert areas where Mavericks are most sighted. These desert areas are remnants of the wars from the distant past.

Rokku, however, traveled in the Outlands since he was a adventurer. He encountered Mavericks before and he would run away or try to defend himself. Although he's no pro, he can defend himself well against the Galleon Hunters . He has no weapons on him and makes use of his surroundings to protect himself. His father was a great fighter and was able to use other weaponry too. He used swords and firearms against the Mechaniloids in his days of youth. Unfortunately, Rokku doesn't have a sword nor a firearm, and fighting hand-to-hand wasn't very effective if he didn't have the strength to rival the Mavericks'. It wasn't too much of a problem since he would mostly run away to avoid the chance of injury.

Admittedly, Rokku was sometimes afraid of the Mavericks, but he would use this fear to defend himself.

It was amazing that Rokku would go to such lengths just to see the world, especially when he could be killed.

* * *

It was night time and Rokku was wandering through the large open area of the Meadow. Nothing but grass and the starry night above to keep the boy calm. He was walking through the grass, observing the serenity of this area. Large white mountains were on his right side, along with a large and long river flowing through the current. It was this pleasant silence that could put someone like Rokku to sleep. Fortunately, there were no Mavericks present and that made it even better.

He took off his backpack and lied it on the ground. He stretched out his arms and fell backwards, landing on the grass. He sighed heavily, looking at the beautiful starry night sky. It was dreamy... So many stars in the sky right now...

 _"I wonder if Mom and Dad traveled through nights like these..."_ He thought.

Rokku breathed the serene fresh air. This was just relaxing... If only the entire world was this calm and peaceful... No Mavericks, no evil doers, no crime (or at least, a minimal amount that could easily be solved), nothing bad... Unfortunately, it seems that if there's good then there's bad. Rokku believes that the world can achieve global peace like it once had after the Neo Arcadian Wars.

The boy began to think about the human side of the Equality Laws... How he hated them... Not only because his family hates it too, but because of it was forced. He would be fine if people could choose to become cyborgs; or more accurately "humanoids"; because that would at least give some sort of independence... But being forced to having mechanical implants seemed... wrong. At a certain age, mostly around the age of 12, humans were to report to Legion for bionic bodies. It wasn't right... Rokku didn't want to think of the government as corrupt because Legion has done many good things to help the residents of Earth. They had some good ideas. The Innerpeace for citizens were a good idea until the Maverick issue could be resolved. But... Still, this particular part of the Law was one of the few things Rokku despised...

Truth be told, Rokku was a pure human. His Mother and other family members too. His Father, however, had his left leg and right side of his chest and waist replaced because of an injury he suffered when Rokku was just 5.

Rokku never went to Legion like he was required to. Because he never went to Legion, the people there don't have any data on him. While it would appear Rokku was a humanoid like many other people, he was merely faking it. He's currently wearing cybernetic ear plates to fool people into thinking such. It made the most sense, as the ears were the most defining feature of a humanoid. The ear plates were hooked onto the human's auditory system, as well as the brain. Rokku's ear plates were attached on his ears, but they can come off with the press of a button. They were locked on his ears tight, but they were comfortable. The reason for the lock was so that it wouldn't fall off so easily.

Fortunately, no one knows that Rokku is still human. In fact, his entire family was safe from the public because of their disguises (save for Rokku's Dad since he needed them to stay alive longer) and fake IDs and other methods that would probably be deemed illegal. If anyone found out about this, they would be regarded as Mavericks for breaking the law. The possible penalty was either submit or die. Rokku, despite being a naive child, was willing to continuously keep his secret.

Despite hating the law so much, he did appreciate the reploid side of it all. The reploids now had life spans and that made them close to human. It wasn't right for humans to have reploid parts implanted within them just so they can be equal. The lifespan should be equal enough. Although, cybernetic implants sounds kinda cool, thinking about it. Rokku understood the benefits of becoming a humanoid, but he merely didn't like the fact that the transformation was mandatory...

What was Rokku going to do about it though? He and his family hate the law so much, yet they just hide out the fact that they are still purely human. Why don't they do something about it? Sure, there are some who also hate the law, but they are trying to get rid of it in a wrong way by committing crimes. Rokku didn't want to do that. There had to be an alternative to changing the human side of the laws... But... What?

The brunette's pondering was getting a little intense, but he continued to think about it. Whenever he thought this hard, he was likely to conjure up a good idea that would eventually benefit him. However, as his thoughts lingered, he noticed a shooting star in the sky. He smiled brightly as he saw the star shine bright. Suddenly, an thought came to mind. There's this legend saying that if you see a shooting star, you can make a wish. The legend has been passed around for centuries and people seemed to either believe it or dismiss it. Rokku, however, believed in such a legend. To make matters better for him, this was the first time he saw a shooting star with his own eyes.

He saw this as an opportunity to make a wish. So, he sat up, held his hands together as if he was praying and closed his eyes. His hands were held so tight as he made his wish.

" _I wish... I wish that I could have a peaceful world... A world where Mavericks are gone and someone changed the Equality Law... So... So that it can make it... Fair to humans everywhere... And so me and my family don't have to hide without fear of being called Mavericks...! Something or someone... Please help me achieve my dream of a peaceful world...! I want the world to be peaceful like it was before...!_ "

Rokku opened his eyes and let his hands hang free. He looked at the sky as the shooting star continued to soar through the night. Rokku smiled at how bright it was. He hoped that the star would hear his call and grant his wish.

However, something wasn't right... The star seemed to... grow bigger? Rokku squinted at the star, growing bigger and bigger... Is a shooting star suppose to enlarge itself? Rokku then got on his feet to get a even closer look... No doubt about it: That star was getting bigger and more brighter as the seconds passed. Rokku kept looking at it... Until he got a sudden realization:

That star was coming towards his very position!

He jumped in fear as the star got closer and closer... That star was high above the ground and descending at incredible speed. The young boy, fearing for his life, ran to a different position after he grabbed the bag. He then ducked to the ground, his hands on his head to protect himself. The star passed him fortunately and finally collided with the ground, causing a miniature earthquake. Rokku lowered his hands and opened his eyes. He jumped on his feet, grabbed his backpack and ran to where the "star" crashed at.

Rokku ran alongside the flowing river, getting closer to the "crash site". As he ran, he could see a bright blue glowing light in the distance. It made the boy want to get there quickly, so he picked up the pace, panting heavily as he increased his running speed. He stopped when he got close enough to the light. The blue glow was illuminating in front of the boy, the light flashing on Rokku's face, chest, pants, the front. To Rokku's surprise, it wasn't a large dent like he expected. In fact, there was barely no dent at all...!

The light began to shimmer down, allowing Rokku to see a visible object lying down in the grass. Rokku squinted, looking at a small object glowing like a aura. Rokku gasped when he scanned the object. It looked like a white head... a small one with a... hat on it's head? No no, it was a helmet... It also had two weird green robot-like eyes... Sorta like how those giant robots in Japanese Anime and Manga had. The weird head-looking object's size was reasonable. It looked like it could be held in a human's hand...

Rokku stared at the object for a whole minute before pondering if he should pick it up. It was like something out of science fiction. Did this thing come from Outer Space? That'd be cool and all, but a little cliche. Rokku eventually finalized his decision, getting down on one knee and reaching his hand out to grab it.

Suddenly, the object shined bright, knocking Rokku on his bottom and temporarily blinding him. Rokku rubbed his eyes and the light began to shimmer once again. Rokku slowly opened his eyes and noticed something else odd. The object no longer was lying in the grass... In its place was a... little boy!?

Rokku jumped when he saw this. Did the object turn into a boy? Maybe, but this boy couldn't be human. It looked a little robotic... Rokku's mouth remained open as he observed the robot boy. His eyes were closed and his body looked a damaged, cracks shown on its face, chest area, boots and even the hands. Like the object that once was in the grass, the boy also had this helmet... It was the exact same design as well...

Was it a reploid? Rokku raised his hand, reaching for the boy's large boots. His hand briefly stopped but he then proceeded to touch the boot. Rokku sighed in relief, realizing nothing bad happened. He slowly rubbed the boot, feeling how robotic it felt along with the cracks it had. However, it also had this... soft, yet cold feeling to it. It was hard to describe but while feeling robotic it felt a little... human...?

Rokku crawled around to the face, observing that next. Like a reploid, the boy's face looked pretty human. Specifically, the face looked really young, about as young as Rokku's. The face looked like it belonged to a 10 year old... There were cracks and scratches on the face as well. Rokku touched the cheek, it's texture feeling softer than the boots but still robotic.

Rokku sighed. What should he do?

Suddenly, he heard footsteps through the grass. It was heading towards Rokku's direction. He quickly turned around to find two people in front of him. One of them had the face of a male teenager and the other, a middle age man. The man in particular looked like a war soldier. The fact that he also had a dark grey Buster-Rifle holster on his back...

The teenager had some type of device in his hands. "Like I said, the reading is here." The teen told the other. Apparently, this device was capable of scanning for "energy signatures". As he told him this, the teenager did not keep his eyes off Rokku. "The readings are higher than we thought..."

The man looked at the robot boy before looking at Rokku. "What are you doing around here?"

Rokku stared at him for a second. No words would come out. He would think the words, but they wouldn't become audible for their ears. Rokku shook his head around, breaking out of his trance and staring at the man. "I was just... traveling..."

The man raised an eyebrow. "In the Outlands?"

Rokku slowly nodded. From how the man asked that question, it made it seem like that Rokku traveling in the Outlands was crazy... And to an extent, it was.

The teenager gave the device to the man and went to the robot boy to pick him up. Rokku watched in awe as what he thought was a shooting star was in the hands of someone he didn't know.

"Wow... It looks pretty ancient... Yet pretty up-to-date." The teenager muttered. He looked at the man. "I think the doc would like to take a look at this guy. Maybe she knows more about this than we do."

"Agreed." The man nodded. "Let's get going then."

Rokku was quick to say something here. They were going to leave off with the robot boy that HE found. "W-Wait!"

The two looked at Rokku, confused by what he wanted. "What is it?" The man asked.

Rokku just saw that robot boy fall from the sky. There was no way he was going to let it out of his sight after witnessing something as amazing as that.

"Um... Can I... Can I come with you? Wherever you guys are going?" Rokku asked, touching his index fingers together nervously. As determined as he was to see what this robot's story was, he wasn't quite an adept at conversating with others he's unfamiliar with. Nonetheless, he didn't want them to just leave and take the robot away like that. He wanted to follow.

The teenager chuckled a bit. "Sorry, no can do. Where we are going is secret. Can't have a stranger coming along."

Rokku felt dejected at the response. It wasn't the answer he was looking for. He was about to plead with them until the man intervened.

"Now hold on." The man spoke. The teenager looked at the man in confusion. "This boy DID find this... reploid before we did. Besides, if such a young kid like him is traveling around in the Outlands, then he must be pretty brave."

"Brave...? I guess I am, ehehe..." Rokku said sheepishly. He wasn't entirely sure if he was the bravest around, but he was determined. Then again, this was the same boy who was afraid of a tiny mouse.

He was adventurous... Of course, Rokku being naive doesn't realize that going on such adventures require bravery... But it could also require stupidity, something Rokku did not have because he was quite intelligent for his age.

"I think we should put our trust into him." The man continued. "Maybe Doc could meet the one who actually found the energy signature. Besides, a visitor from the outside could be a good thing for the community; especially for the Doc."

The teenager shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, but don't come to me when she's upset at you."

The man smiled. "I'm sure she'll be more "delighted" than upset." He then turned to Rokku. "Hey kid, on your feet! You're coming with us!"

Rokku smiled a little, jumping on his feet with his backpack in his hand. "O-Okay!"

"By the way," The man said as Rokku walked beside him. "My name is Faucon. He's Menart."

Rokku nodded. "My name is Rokku!"

"Cool. Are you human Rokku?" The teenager, Menart, asked.

Rokku nodded once more. "Uh-huh. Are you guys humans too?"

Faucon laughed. "No kid. We're reploids."

Rokku's eyes widened. "R-Really? Then, how come you guys don't have those upside red triangles on your foreheads?" Rokku then gasped when he had a thought. "Are you guys 'illegal reploids'?"

It was Menart's turn to laugh. "I guess you can think of it like that! But don't worry, we aren't bad guys or anything!"

Rokku continued to walk with Menart and Faucon. He was curious as to where he was heading. Along the way, Faucon and Menart questioned Rokku's reasons for not being in the Innerpeace areas where it was safe. Rokku told the two reploids the story of his reason. He was an adventurer like his Mother, Father and Grandfather were. He wants to travel around the world, making friends and seeing new things. To his surprise, Faucon and Menart respected his reason. For this reason, they decided to bring the young adventurer to their secret residence.

Besides, their leader needed to see someone from outside; someone who can be trusted and is kind. Perhaps Rokku is that person.

* * *

 **June 27, 25XX**

It was a long journey... They traveled through places that Rokku never knew existed. It was quite exciting for him honestly. However, they were traveling really far from Kairos City, Rokku's original destination. The locations were truly becoming unrecognizable. As an adventurer, Rokku couldn't help but geek out at the many places he visited that probably weren't on the map. Of course, he kept his excitement to himself, though Faucon and Menart could probably see it right through him.

They traveled through the night until it was dawn. They appeared to be in the mountain regions, all of the summits looking white as snow despite no snow. The sound of waterfalls caught Rokku by surprise. There was also grass on the ground along with the white stone-like ground... The region looked truly majestic and the mountains were beginning to resemble gateways as they walked on the path to their residence.

They soon walked over a long, steel bridge, looking surprisingly new. Rokku took a peek down below to see that it wasn't so far down, perhaps like 12 feet deep. Of course, there was deeper gorges back where he came. The trio stopped to find a large white mansion-like building. It was in sitting in this central area where aquatic-blue colored waterfalls and white mountains surrounded the building in a circular fashion. It was almost like a castle with moats. People were walking around the building, carrying buckets of water and bags of what Rokku assumed was food.

"Wow..." Rokku said in awe. He truly found this place to be heavenly, a true paradise...

Faucon laughed and placed his right hand on Rokku's shoulder. "Rokku," He began. He held out his left hand, presenting the name of the location. "Welcome to The Sanctuary."

Faucon and Menart walked forward, surprising Rokku who was still observing the serenity of The Sanctuary. The title of this location was truly fitting. The chipper boy walked behind the two reploids, heading towards the doors of this building.

"A while ago, we discovered this place while restoring the world." Faucon explained. "This actually was an abandoned village before the Mountains and Waterfalls came in... We built this building as our home."

As the trio approached the doors, Rokku was getting stares from other people who resided in this area. Perhaps, just like Faucon and Menart, they were reploids. Rokku spotted a woman carrying a bucket of fresh water, and a little female child holding onto a net filled with fish. He also spotted a large bulky man carrying large metallic material with his bare hands, and a older reploid, who was pretty short and slightly pudgy, carrying what seemed to be Ceratanium Crystals in a backpack. Those crystals are very rare now of days, but seeing the reploid hold that many was unbelievable yet amazing. There were so many crystals that they are overfilling the backpack. Seeing Ceratanium in his own eyes made Rokku gasp in awe, but he followed Faucon and Menart nonetheless.

Faucon opened the door, allowing Menart and Rokku to enter. Right off the bat, Rokku found that the main color scheme of this main entryway was brown, like your typical mansion. Large stairs were in front of Rokku and the top would have two split pathways leading to unknown places. On the right side of the stairway, there was a long corridor. On the left side seem to lead to a living room, as well as a kitchen. On the farthest left, there was but a window, a chair and a table with a thick book and a lamp on top. On the farthest right had a similar window, but instead of a chair and table, there was a long black couch with 3 black pillows.

As the boy observed how fancy this place was, he suddenly heard footsteps coming from the stairs. He looked up and saw a woman with blonde hair approaching them with a old man beside her. She looked pretty young, appearing to be in her early-mid 20s. She wore a white lab coat, as well as a pink chest plate over her pink dress. She appeared to be wearing a black bodysuit underneath everything. She had a pink and white helmet. Her heels shared the same color as the helmet. She had a bright and beautiful smile as she talked with the old man; both of them going down the stairs.

"Ah, Doc." Faucon greeted.

The woman reached the final stair. Her smile diminished a little upon seeing not only Faucon and Menart, but also a kid and a "sleeping reploid".

"Faucon, Menart, you have returned." The woman said. She then turned to the "reploid" and then at Rokku. "But you have not returned alone, I see. Who is he?"

"He's a human kid." Faucon explained. "Someone we met along the way."

Rokku approached the woman with a smile on his face. The woman seemed to be just a little taller than him. Rokku was 5'4" while this woman seemed to be 5'5" or 5'6".

"U-Um, hello! My name is Rokku!" He greeted happily, extending his right hand for a shake.

The woman smiled as she gazed into the childish expression Rokku possessed. It seemed to make her happy to see a chipper child like him.

"Hello, Rokku." The woman began, gripping and shaking the boy's hand. "My name is Ciel. It's a pleasure."

Rokku thought that was a nice name for someone like her. They both retracted their hands.

"My name is Andrew." The old man greeted. "Nice to meet you, son."

Rokku found it funny that Andrew called him 'son'. Then again, it seems to be a tendency for the elderly to say such things.

"Nice to meet you too." Rokku greeted back.

Ciel turned to Menart and Faucon. "While I am not upset that you brought an outsider, I wish you would've consulted with me first."

Menart placed his hands behind his head and looked at Faucon. "Hey, don't look at me! Faucon was the one who came up with the idea to bring the kid along."

"It's true. It's been so long since anyone from the outside came here. I thought you'd like to meet someone like Rokku. He's on his own but he has his reasons." Faucon explained.

"We found out about that energy signature we detected hours ago." Menart began. "This 'reploid' is the source of it. Rokku is actually the one who found the "reploid" before us though, and he didn't look like he was going to let us walk away with something he found first."

Ciel raised a brow upon hearing mention of the "reploid". She walked towards it and made observations. She touched the body to feel it's texture and material.

"Amazing..." Ciel muttered in awe. "...This robot appears to be wearing battle armor."

"Battle Armor?" Rokku parroted. Now that he thought about it, this robot boy _did_ look like some superhero or something.

"Yes," Ciel nodded. "The texture also feels soft yet cold... The material is very flexible and durable."

Ciel looked up and smiled at the two reploids. "Thank you for bringing it here. I'll take it from here."

Ciel proceeded to take the robot in her hands. To her surprise, he felt lighter than she had expected. There was some weight to it though, but it was still light...or maybe Ciel was actually stronger than she thought.

"Perhaps you two can assist Hibou in carrying the Ceratanium back here. I do believe he's about to leave back out for more."

Faucon and Menart nodded. "Yes, ma'am." Menart said.

The two left out the door to carry out the request. Rokku turned around to find the short, pudgy reploid from before dropping the backpack filled with Ceratanium Crystals. He assumed he was the Hibou that Ciel spoke of.

"Excuse me, Ciel," Andrew said. "I think I will see if Autruche needs any assistance."

"Very well." Ciel nodded.

Andrew turned to Rokku. "I hope to see you again, Rokku." With that, Andrew left, heading to the living room area. Now, Rokku, Ciel and the robot boy were alone.

"I apologize. Today we are trying to gather some material and food from the outside." Ciel explained. "It's been quite a hectic day since mostly everyone's working together."

"It's okay." Rokku said. He was happy to finally meet the "Doc" that Faucon and Menart spoke of. Given that the robot boy was in Ciel's hands, he had assumed she was a doctor that had knowledge of the production of reploids or machinery. If it was true, then he would be most intrigued.

"So, what are you going to do with that robot?" Rokku asked, curiously.

Ciel smiled. "Well, from what Menart has told me, this robot had a high energy signature that passed by us hours ago. If all goes well, I can analyze it and learn who this is."

Rokku threw his hands in his coat pockets, further observing the main entryway.

"Rokku, would you like to follow me to my lab?" Ciel asked.

Rokku perked upon hearing her question. He thought she'd never ask! "U-Uh, yes ma'am!"

Ciel giggled at his response. He seemed very polite for someone his age. "Please, follow me."

The doctor turned to the corridor on the right side, Rokku followed closely behind. As the two traveled through the corridor, Rokku noticed doors that led to bed rooms or something. A few moments of walking lead the two to a stairway that lead down below. The more Rokku walked down, the more he noticed how metallic it was beginning to look compared to how upstairs had soft textures and a more traditional mansion-like appearance. This was beginning to look like a secret lab of some sort. Fortunately, lights were on the walls for visibility.

The two then traveled through another corridor, looking metallic and kind of scary. It wasn't too scary thanks to the lights, but still.

"I think I should properly introduce myself..." Ciel began. Rokku had a puzzled expression. "You see, I am a human like you. However, I was born centuries ago, in the 24th Century around the time of Neo Arcadia's ascension... Do you know of Neo Arcadian?"

"Yeah, it was a utopia for Humans and Reploids but the leader began to start... Well, 'retiring' innocent reploids..."

It surprised Ciel that Rokku was aware of the war. She would have to ask him more about this later. Rokku, however, did not know what 'retiring' meant in this case, but he merely repeated the information he was told about.

"Then you must know that there was a group called the Resistance who were wrongly branded as terrorists..."

"Yes." Rokku answered.

"I was the leader of the Resistance, the only member who was a human..."

Ciel opened a door leading to a large area filled with a lab table, a computer or two, and more "science-y" stuff that Rokku probably wouldn't know about despite his interests in technology. Ciel gently placed the robot boy on the lab table. The woman sat down on a chair nearby her computers, sighing.

"We haven't had a visitor for a long time, you know." Ciel said with a sad smile. "I'm actually glad Faucon brought in someone like you."

Rokku looked at the robot boy before looking back at Ciel. Something didn't seem right regarding Ciel's identity.

"Wait, if you were born in the 24th Century, then how are you still alive?" Rokku asked.

"I was hoping you'd ask." Ciel smiled. "You are quite perceptive."

"I am prolonging my life through the use of a special device known as Biometal. That's why you see I am wearing 'armor'."

Rokku was conflicted. On one hand, he was geeking out on the inside because he found the leader of the Resistance and found a haven. However, on the other hand, she was telling him all of this information; Information that was possibly very secretive.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Rokku asked, confused.

Ciel giggles, surprising the boy. "Because I trust you," Ciel began. "I also have this feeling that you'll do something that'll benefit mankind."

Rokku was even more confused. The woman reached into her toolbox and brought out a what appeared to be soldering tweezers. She reached for her helmet and brought out her visor. She went to the robot to begin her analysis.

Rokku watched as Ciel made preparations to analyze the robot. She attached wires onto the body and then opened a hatch on the chest area to reveal the interior systems it had. Ciel noticed that there was some damage to the interior structure. The core was made of some type of energy force... Something that felt pretty powerful...

Ciel put her visor up on her helmet, revealing her cobalt eyes again. "This robot is pretty damaged. The body structure is ancient, yet it has recent technology embedded within. It also has a design that I'm almost not familiar with..." Ciel sighed. "However, I'm sure I can fix him..."

Ciel took a closer look at the core area. Somehow, she never noticed that there was a serial number increased near the energy core. It read, " _DLN-001_ ".

 _"Hmm... This serial number sounds very familiar..."_ Ciel said, pondering about this. _"I know I've seen this before..."_

She eventually dismissed her thoughts and began to start the restoration process.

"Can I help?" Rokku squeaked.

Ciel looked at Rokku. A smile formed on her face. "Why not? My friend Cerveau won't be back in a long time. An assistant would be nice."

"Who's Cerveau?" Rokku asked, standing beside Ciel.

"He's an old friend and an engineer who usually works alongside me." Ciel explained. "He's currently out with Doigt, another engineer, and a strong soldier named Vautour, searching for more rare material for machinery. I did say today was a little hectic today, didn't I?" She giggled.

With that, Ciel and Rokku began to fix this robot known by his serial number, _DLN-001_ , a familiar serial number that Ciel cannot recall at the moment. Rokku was surprisingly helpful since he had some knowledge of reploids. He didn't really go deep inside the robot like Ciel did, only handing her tools and advice. Regardless, Ciel appreciated his kind assistance. Besides, this time together allowed them to get to know each other a little bit more.

Ciel knows that Rokku is an adventurer who wants to travel around the world, even despite the prevalent Maverick issue. Ciel also specialized in analyzing Cyber-Elves, programs that almost all people in the world are unaware of. Rokku, having knowledge of many events of the past, knew what Cyber-Elves were, but not as much as he probably should.

It took the duo hours to work on the robot, working deeply into the interior structure and the brain. The robot also had a Reploid I.C. Chip integrated into its brain, meaning it had independence and could choose its own path and function. The more Rokku helped Ciel, the more curious he got about what this robot was like.

While they were working on the robot, Ciel accidentally triggered a transformation sequence, causing the robot's battle armor to disappear and have a more, human appearance; complete with a blue and white shirt and black shorts. Ciel took note of this since both she and Rokku now knew that this robot had a civilian form. She eventually changed the robot's form back to its battle form. Rokku took off the helmet and studied it. According to Ciel, it was seemed to have many functions aside from head protection. More noticeably, the robot had brown hair that felt human-like. Ciel noted this. For the rest of the restoration process, Ciel kept the helmet off its head as to not have any restrictions or hinderances.

Ciel eventually discovered that the robot boy seemed to have a arm cannon for both of his hands. She learned this while working on his arms. A comical event happened when Ciel accidentally shot a energy bullet from the arm cannon, creating a black mark on the wall. Rokku chuckled nervously at this. Ciel took note that the energy bullet was very powerful. She realized that this arm cannon was powered by solar energy. However, it was also powered by the energy core that allowed the robot to live. Ciel has not yet understood the source of the energy from the core.

There seem to be remnants of solar energy within the body, but this energy core seems to be even more powerful or just an enhancement of said energy. However, the energy core needed to be fixed and stabilized, since there were small signs of energy instability in the core.

Perhaps this robot was able to consume foods like many reploids nowadays.

The two took a break at some point. They went to receive some Ceratanium Crystals from Hibou, as they intended on using them to fix the robot boy. Break time eventually ended, and the two immediately got back to work. Experimenting with the Ceratanium Crystals, Ciel had used her knowledge of the rare material to create a stronger version of Ceratanium by combining the materials with Titanium-X, a lightweight alloy she had received from Doigt. She dubbed this enhanced Ceratanium, _Ceratanium-X_. She has been experimenting with this new alloy for some time and has once again created it for a new purpose.

The more Ciel worked on the robot boy, the more she reminisced about a reploid she once created: Mega Man X. In actuality, the reploid Ciel created was a replica of the original Mega Man X, commonly known as Copy X. She made Copy X so that he could rule Neo Arcadia in the real X's place after he used his body to seal in the Mother Elf, a master Cyber-Elf that was responsible for ridding Earth of the Sigma Virus but also sparking the Elf Wars. The body structure of this robot was beginning to resemble Copy X's.

Ciel and Rokku began to work on the Voice Chip. Ciel had plugged the chip into her computer to test it out. She did complicated work that Rokku wouldn't be able to understand quite yet. She looked at Rokku and began to start the test sequence. She typed in a few words to test out the Voice Chip. Something the two instantly noticed was how young the voice sounded, looking like it belonged to a 7-10 year old. However, the Voice Chip was also glitchy, a simple fix for Ciel. Fixing it up in no time flat, she began the test sequence again, and to her delight, the voice was working properly. Rokku cheered happily for their success in fixing the Voice Chip. To make matters better, they seemed to be getting closer to fixing this robot.

However, the two have been working for hours and dusk was close. Rokku was getting tired and requested to rest a bit. Ciel granted his wish, promising to work on it. Despite Rokku's pleas to also sleep, she declined. Rokku slept on one of her chairs, using his jacket as covers. Ciel spent all night working on the robot, eager to complete it. As she worked on the robot, she heard Rokku talk in his sleep. He expressed desire to see the robot completed just as she was. A smile formed on her face at the child and she continued to work on the robot. Occasionally, Ciel did system checks. She was glad Rokku was asleep though. Besides, she also had to 'strip' the robot a little bit more, save for the head, revealing it's endoskeleton body. With the robot now revealed, Ciel could ultimately fix it properly. She feared that Rokku would freak out because of how "scary" the endoskeleton looked. Also, she had to do welding, something that Cerveau or Doigt would normally do. However, they have called and said that they won't be back by before noon. This action was also kind of dangerous and she didn't want Rokku to get hurt in case something bad happens. Fortunately, her worries were put to rest while she did the welding process.

Ciel could use a special power source to hopefully power the energy core and stabilize it. This source was known as the **C.I.E.L. System** , standing for **C** _onvergent **I** gnition by **E** nergen **L** inkage_. This power source was created with the sole purpose of solving the Energy Crisis that was experienced in 23XX. Ciel put her heart and soul into developing this energy, and it all worked out in the end. This same source would be expanded and used for a future Energy Crisis in Cinq Ville, thanks to President Serpent of Slither Inc. This energy source was extremely powerful, and it made the robot's systems boot up. However, it wasn't quite "awake", just yet.

* * *

 **June 28, 25XX**

Sunrise came around, and Rokku yawned. He saw Ciel working on her computer with the number of wires attached the robot boy now decreased. It also looked newer and cleaner than it did previously. Rokku threw his jacket on and walked over to Ciel. She turned around and took off her visor.

"Good morning, Rokku." Ciel greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

Rokku nodded. "Uh-huh. But, did you sleep at all?"

Ciel shook her head. "No, I worked all night on the robot. I was too eager to stop. Good news though: I think I've just finished this robot."

"R-Really!?" Rokku exclaimed, getting excited. Ciel nodded in response. She proceeded to remove the wires from the robot. The fixed helmet resided on a desk nearby the lab table. The two stood in front of the robot, awaiting for the robot's system to boot up. Rokku crossed his fingers and Ciel held her hands together, both hoping their work wasn't for nothing.

As time passed, the robot's eyes opened, revealing dimmed eyes. It eventually brightened, revealing blue eyes. The robot blinked twice and shook it's head around. Once its vision was cleared, it was surprising to find two humans standing before it, looking very happy.

"Success...!" Ciel said, sighing in relief. "He's alive...!"

The robot blinked again, expressing a confused look. Ciel smiled as she saw the robot's expression. It further proved how human it was.

"Where...Where am I?" The robot asked, studying its surroundings.

"He speaks!" Rokku gasps jokingly.

Ciel took a step forward. "Hello there. You are currently in The Sanctuary, a safe residence where people live peacefully."

"Wh...Who are you?" The robot asked. Ciel further noted the tone the robot used. It was a tone of nervousness and uncertainty.

"Don't worry, you aren't in any trouble." Ciel assured. "My name is Ciel. Me, along with my assistant, Rokku, were responsible for restoring you."

"...Restoring...Me?" The robot repeated.

"Yes. You were awfully damaged when we found you. But you're okay now." Ciel explained. As the doctor did this, the robot blinked again, looking at his hands. He clutched them into a fist about three times before looking at the humans again.

"What's your name?" Rokku asked the robot.

The robot blinked once more. He had a childish expression and was still quite confused about the situation.

"Do you know your name?" Ciel asked, concerned.

The robot nodded. "My name is Rock Light..." The robot began. "Otherwise known as Mega Man..."

"Mega Man?" Rokku asked, puzzled by the name. He _knew_ that he looked like a superhero, but even his name sounds like one.

Ciel, on the other hand, was surprised to hear the name. It made her instantly think of Mega Man X, the original leader of Neo Arcadia. More recollections popped up in her memory bank, but she was reluctant to share them publicly to Rokku and... Rock.

Instead, she wanted to know if... Rock, had any memories of its own. During the restoration process, she was unable to access its memories.

"Rock, do you have any recollection of your past?" Ciel asked, balancing her right arm on her left hand, while her right hand was placed her cheek.

Rock nodded. "Um... I was a helper robot, built with a function to help people..." Rock began. "...Though, I changed myself into a fighting robot so I could protect the people from dangerous robots who threatened peace... I don't...Ngh..."

Rock held onto his head, struggling to access his Memory Data. He shook his head, feeling slight pain just trying.

"Easy now," Ciel instructed. "If you can't access your memories right now, then don't try. Your memories should come back over time. After all, you have just awoken not too long ago."

Ciel began to ponder about what Rock has just told them. A fighting robot who protects people...? She has a feeling she has heard about such a tale. But, when has he fought robots as Mega Man? Even the word Mega Man, aside from referencing X, sounded familiar to her.

"Anyway, you should thank Rokku for you coming back to life." Ciel said, pushing Rokku towards Rock. "He's the one who found you. He was very determined to restore you."

Rokku smiled nervously. Rock just stared, a smile eventually forming on his face. "You... Saved me? Thank you."

Rokku smiled proudly, rubbing the back of his head and chuckling. "I-It's no biggie, really!" Rokku admitted. "I was really curious about what would happen if you were restored!"

A question crossed Ciel's mind; A question that needed to be asked. "Rock, what century do you think you're in?"

Rock placed a finger on his chin, thinking. "The 21st Century, right?"

Ciel looked at Rokku, who was puzzled. Instantly, Ciel knew that this robot was from either 200X or 20XX, and he was clearly an old model outfitted with recent Reploid technology. It astonished her that a robot from 500 years ago still exists to this day.

Rock, however, just now caught a term in Ciel's question: ' _What century do you **think** you're in_ '. He was confused, but before he could ask anything, Ciel beat him to the punch.

"Rock, you were born in the 21st Century. However, this is the future, the 26th Century in the year 25XX." Ciel explained.

Rock was shocked to realize this. _"Did I travel into the future or something?"_ Rock thought.

"It's pretty cool that you are a 'super fighting robot'!" Rokku chimed, sounding impressed.

Hearing that label attached to him, reminded him of his arm cannon. He held out his right hand and transformed it into an arm cannon.

"My Mega-Buster..." Rock muttered.

As Ciel continues to observe Rock, she begins to think about his other name, Mega Man. His Mega-Buster, as he called it, highly resembled the X-Buster, the arm cannon X possessed. With this knowledge, she begins to believe that Mega Man is the predecessor of X. This realization makes her question Rock again.

"Do you remember who created you?" Ciel asked.

Rock pondered. However, just trying to remember caused him pain again. "No... At least, not yet..."

"Well, at least you remember something..." Ciel said. "Can you get on your two feet?"

Rock started to move, sliding off the lab table and on his feet. Ciel instantly noticed that Rock was shorter than both of them, something she hadn't noticed when restoring him. Ciel thinks that he might be 4'11". Rock began to walk around the lab, further observing his surroundings.

"Yeah, I can walk just fine." Rock said, smiling. He then began to flex his arms around. Yep, that worked too.

"While we were working on you, we noticed you have some type of civilian form. Can you activate that on your own?" Ciel asked.

Rock nodded. Just like that, he transformed. He wore a blue T-Shirt with short white sleeves, black shorts and large blue boots, the same ones that he had in his battle armor. "Amazing..." Ciel said in awe. Knowing that Rock could move properly, she began to explain his current situation.

"Alright, Rock. You are currently in a new world; A world where technology is quite advanced than it was in the 21st Century." Ciel began. "Therefore, I would like you to get accustomed to the new world you are now living on. I suggest staying with Rokku. Is that alright with you, Rokku?"

"Of course it is!" Rokku cried. "We can be friends too! Being friends with an ancient robot is pretty cool, I'd say!"

Ciel giggled at his childish behavior. "Is that fine with you, Rock?"

Rock nodded. "Sure. After all, he did find me and help rebuild me. I'm thankful."

* * *

Having gotten along quite well since first meeting, Rokku and Rock decided to talk with people in the Sanctuary so that the robot turned reploid could get a taste of what the new world was like. It was also settled that Rokku could call Rock "Mega Man" or simply "Mega"; mostly because of name confusion and, more importantly, Rokku thinks calling him Mega is cooler. The boy simply could not resist calling him that given that he was a hero.

The boys would learn that this place wasn't just so for reploids, but for humans as well. Some ex-Resistance members such as Andrew and Hirondelle lived here, and others were people seeking peace in the form of The Sanctuary. It appeared that only the most trustworthy were aloud to take refugee here for there was not a single bad person in this utopian land. Although there was no bad person in this haven, Mavericks still lurked. Every once and a while, they would find this place and would quickly be disposed of by fighting reploids like Faucon and Vautour. They were a very minor issue towards the residents of The Sanctuary.

A few hours later after getting to know people in The Sanctuary and quickly befriending Rokku, Mega Man decides he wants to go get some fresh air.

"Hey, Ciel?" Mega approached the doctor. "If it's okay with you, Rokku and I would like to go outside."

"We won't be far, promise!" Rokku added.

Ciel pondered deeply. Mega Man was just restored a few hours ago. Would it be wise to let him go outside of The Sanctuary? Sure, Rokku would more likely accompany him, but Mavericks are still out there. The Sanctuary is very peaceful, true, but Mavericks do come around the perimeter sometimes. Under normal circumstances, she'd request that Faucon or Vautour keep an eye out for any wanderers, but they were currently not around at the moment. It would dangerous for Rokku and Mega Man to go out alone. While Mega Man _did_ have a Mega-Buster, Ciel couldn't take any risks.

"Hmm, very well. I will have Menart accompany the both of you." Ciel said.

Mega grinned and fist pumped. "Alright!"

Ciel smiled at Mega Man's childish behavior. In some strange way, it sort of mirrored Rokku's behavior. In fact, the two even looked a little alike. They both had blue eyes, the both had spiky brown hair (although they are different in style), and they even dressed similar. Of course, one of them was clearly taller than the other. It was as if they were brothers... This coincidence was awfully strange...

Ciel disregarded her thoughts for the moment as she just so happened to find Menart coming back from the kitchen.

"Menart, I have a request for you," Ciel said to the teenage reploid. "Rokku and Mega want to go outside for just a little bit. I'd like to keep watch, okay?"

"Sure thing, Doc." Menart replied. He honestly didn't want to babysit the two and would much rather play hooky, but with Faucon and Vautour out collecting more materials, _someone_ had to accompany the two and make sure they don't get blindsided. At the same time, Menart thought that the possibility of that happening was low. Nonetheless, he accepted Ciel's request.

"Promise me that you'll both return safe and sound." Ciel said. "I don't want anything bad to happen out there..."

"It's a promise, Ciel!" Rokku assured. "With Mega Man by my side, we'll be perfectly fine!"

With permission granted, Rokku, Mega, and Menart left The Sanctuary and out in the field. As the two boys walked, they have a conversation about the year 25XX. Their conversation did keep them off track of how far they were traveling, but Menart was with them to make sure they didn't go too far... But he didn't appear to be doing his job quite well because he had headphones on and was listening to music... It appeared that Menart has gotten older in appearance, but his old habits remained the same.

* * *

In the forest (the same forest that Rokku, Faucon and Menart traveled through to get to The Sanctuary), Rokku and Mega Man were still having a conversation. All the while, Menart was close behind them holding a Buster-Rifle. He did not hear much of the conversation since he was wearing headphones.

Fortunately, Mega Man was beginning to regain some of his memories. One of his memories was of his seemingly countless battles against some old man in a lab coat. He's unable to say who this foe was, but Mega can definitely say that he was someone who he despised greatly. The reploid was still unable to remember his creator, but he's getting faint voices that sound very familiar to him... A female voice... A voice coming from an old man... A voice that sounds really robotic, but also fanboy-like and nerdy... This was troubling the ancient hero. He really wanted his memories back and soon.

Since Rokku had gotten so acquainted with Mega, Rokku had decided to tell him about his life. He felt that the two were close enough to be friends, but Rokku couldn't say for certain. After all, Rokku only has one friend thus far and he wasn't very social to newcomers. But he felt comfortable around Mega; not only because the robot turned reploid used to be a hero, but also they appeared to share common interests.

As Rokku talked about his life, Mega was trying to comprehend all of what he has told him. Mega learned that Rokku had interest in networking since it has become such an important factor in life since it's resurgence. He has mentioned this interest to Ciel and others too; Even Ciel had grown interested over the years.

"So, you're adopted?" Mega asked.

"Uh-huh. Mom and Dad found me in a forest in Japan when they were in High School." Rokku explained. "They decided to take care of me, and now I'm a part of a _pretty_ huge family~"

"And, your family has knowledge of events that happened in the distant past?" Mega Man asked, to ensure he heard him right.

"Yep."

"What about the reploids?" Mega asked. "Do they know about their origins?"

"Of course. Reploids were mass-produced in the 22nd Century, though I think that's common knowledge." Rokku further explained. He was not aware that not all knew of the reploids' origins. "They are able to think and act on their own without a function."

Rokku then got a little sad. "But... Then the Maverick Wars began."

"The Maverick Wars?" Mega questioned. "What was that?"

"Because of some virus, reploids began to act really violent to the point that they were hurting people. Fortunately, the good guys were able to stop these Mavericks from their rampages and the virus would eventually go away. Though after that, a new war sparked almost immediately afterwards... It's called the Elf Wars, and it was the most horrible war to date..."

It caused Mega Man to shiver, hearing these details.

Rokku would continue explaining the story to the best of his ability. The Elf Wars were something his grandfather, Thaddeus, told him about before, but the details of them were a bit hazy for him. "Cyber-Elves were made to get rid of the virus, but then the Cyber-Elves went gonzo. The world was really in bad shape after the 4-year long war... From what I remember, 60% of the Humans and 90% of the Reploids were... killed..."

Mega Man's eyes widened in horror. He stopped dead in his tracks, sitting down on a nearby rock. He covered his face with his hands, shaking his head repeatedly. Rokku was confused, but he heard Mega Man repeat the word, **_No_** , over and over. Menart took a moment to stop when he saw the two stopped. He took off one ear on his headphone to hear,

"Hey, you guys good?" Menart asked.

"Uhh, yeah. Just taking a break..." Rokku answered with a bit of uncertainty. He had some idea as to why Mega sat down, but not completely. Despite the uncertainty in Rokku's voice, Menart just threw on his headphones to continue listening to music, examining the area while the two boys took their "break".

"Even though I've fought so hard... The wars against robots continue..." Mega Man sobbed. Rokku noticed tears actually escaping Mega's eyes and hearing what the reploid just said made him realize what had upset him. Just thinking about those bloody wars made Rokku shudder a little. "Even when peace is achieved, another madman rises up to ruin it for everyone...!"

Rokku couldn't bare to watch Mega cry anymore. He got on his knees and placed a hand on his shoulder. He may not be the best comforter, but he would try his best.

"H-Hey, Mega Man," Rokku began. Mega Man lowered his hands to reveal his crestfallen expression. "I... I know it's upsetting for humans and robots to fight each other, but... Let's look at the bright side! That was all in the past! Look at the good things that's happened since! Even when another madman rises up, a hero will rise up to deal with him or her! Peace isn't a fantasy!"

Mega Man smiled a little. Rokku's optimism reminded him of himself based on the memories he was receiving at a steady pace. "Y-You're right..." Mega said. "Obviously, even after I disappeared, heroes stepped up to fight when others couldn't... I should be grateful since I probably inspired people everywhere."

"That's more like it!" Rokku grinned, trying to push the bloody thoughts out of their minds. "I'm going to work hard to make sure the world is peaceful like the good old days!"

Mega Man had to rewind back a bit. " _You're_ going to work hard?" He asked, not out of disrespect, but of curiosity.

"Y-Yeah...! I want to change the Equality Law for the humans!" Rokku said, looking determined.

"The Equality Law?" Mega Man said. "What's the matter with it?"

Rokku frowned, looking down at the ground. He kicked a small rock into the bushes nearby before explaining himself. "After the wars ended, we all worked hard to restore the world back to normal." Rokku explained. Once more, this was based on what his parents and grandfather told him. "Then, the Sage Trinity, a group of three wise men, created Legion, the boding government of the entire world."

"Whoa... The entire world...?" Mega repeated in awe.

Rokku nodded and continued. "Yep, and they decided to make sure that there were no differences between humans and reploids. That's when the Equality Law was created. In the law, Reploids must have limited lifespans. They also have these weird upside down red triangles on their foreheads."

"Limited lifespans, huh?" Mega said, a smiling slowly forming. "Well, that's not too bad. I mean, sure it sounds scary dying, but that makes reploids more like humans right?"

"Yeah, well, I haven't gotten to the part about what humans have to do..." Rokku frowned, clenching his fists together. Mega Man noticed his shaking fists and began to grow concerned especially towards someone like Rokku who he seen as chipper and kind. From what he observed, Rokku didn't seem like the type to get angry; though in this case, something had upset him. "Humans must have mechanical bodies at a certain age..."

Mega Man was shocked to hear this. "That... That doesn't sound right."

"Tell me about it..." Rokku replied. "Because of this law, me and my family have to live in hiding, disguised as "humanoids" as they put it..."

"So, you're breaking the law, huh..." Mega assumed. He assumed right.

"Yep, and I'm wearing these fake reploid earplates as a disguise. I never even went to Legion and neither did my Mom or Dad, or anyone else in my family. If you want to get cybernetic implants, you have to go to Legion to get them."

"Normally, breaking the law is bad, but you seem to have a good reason..." Mega said with a hint of uncertainty. "...Right?"

"I don't know if it's a good reason to other people, but I think it is." Rokku said. "You shouldn't be forced to have implants. It changes how humans were made. We should choose to become cyborgs or not. Reploids having life spans are good enough. In fact, I think it's great...!"

Rokku turned to Mega. "You...You agree with me, right?"

Mega Man nodded. "I agree. You shouldn't try to merge two species who are clearly different physically and genetically. I believe the two can get along, but merging the two isn't right at all."

"Yeah. It's like trying to merge an anthropomorphic dog with a human because they want to make things "equal"." Rokku said, rolling his eyes. "Sounds pretty darn lame if you ask me."

"Has anyone aside from you and your family object to this law?" Mega asked.

Rokku nodded. "Yes... There are a few people who don't like the law like we don't. But, if we don't follow the law, we'll be branded as Mavericks, and I don't want to know what they do people like us... It's just scary thinking about it..."

"How are you going to go about dealing with this issue, though?" Mega asked.

"I don't know... There are plenty who actually like the human part of the law and I'm not going to call them wrong for liking it, but I just wish there was a choice."

"But, I'm not going to worry about that now! I'm going to be an adventurer just like my parents!" Rokku said, sounding like his usual self again.

Mega smiled and hopped on his feet. "That's sounds like a good plan to me." While Mega Man was happy for Rokku, he started to question his own existence. Mega Man was brought back to life. What was he going to do now? Was he going to fight against these so-called Mavericks? Would he ditch Rokku after he helped rebuild him? What was he going to do?

Rokku and Mega Man were beginning to walk back to The Sanctuary. Menart took notice and walked with them. However, the sound of firearm being shot froze the boys in place. They saw a energy bullet pass and miss them. They group quickly turned around to find five red eyes in the darkness, hiding between the crowded trees.

"Uh-oh..." Rokku said, shivering a little.

"W-What's the matter?" Mega Man asked.

The five red eyes approached them, stepping out of the shadows and revealing themselves. All five were foot soldier mechaniloids, better known as Mavericks. Four of them were known as Galleon Hunters, and the fourth and last one was a Galleon Bazooka. They were dangerous to defenseless humans. It's really bad for Rokku, however. Since he does not have cybernetic implants, he's more fragile.

"Crap! Mavericks!" Menart yelled, throwing off his headset.

The four Galleon Hunters point their Busters at the boys and open fire. Rokku and Mega Man take cover, hiding behind a tree while Menart fought back. Unfortunately, the Galleons just blew the tree in half, knocking it down and almost crushing Rokku. Mega Man fortunately pulled him away before he got crushed. Mega Man quickly took heroic action and transformed into his battle armor to help Menart; the teenage reploid was willing to accept his help. Mega Man pulled out his Mega-Buster and aimed it at the Galleon Hunters.

He shot a few energy bullets, destroying one of the Galleon Hunters while Menart took down another. The Galleon Bazooka released a missile aiming right towards them. Rokku evaded the missile, screaming in fear. Mega Man took note of Rokku taking cover, meaning he and Menart could protect him. He took center stage and began to shoot more energy bullets from his Mega-Buster. He destroyed the second Galleon Hunter, leaving only two more Galleons. He dodged three energy bullets from the last Galleon Hunter and prepared to shoot more from his Mega-Buster.

 _CHOK!  
_  
"What!?" He cried.

Something was wrong.

"What's going on?" Menart asked Mega.

The blue reploid suddenly couldn't shoot from his Mega-Buster, no matter how much he tried. Suddenly, Menart screamed as he got whacked in the chest by a Galleon Bazooka, knocking him on the ground. The Maverick turned it's attention to Mega. It loomed over Mega, causing him to look at it. The Galleon used it's large firearm to whack Mega Man against a nearby tree. Rokku saw Mega Man get hurt and Menart scrambling to get his Buster-Rifle to move into cover and keep up the fight. Tears formed in his eyes as he was simply watching his new friend get hurt. He couldn't let them kill Menart or Mega Man; Especially after he and Ciel worked so hard to restore the ancient hero. He had to control his fear and take action.

He revealed himself, grabbing a large piece of wood from the broken tree and ran towards the last two Galleons, screaming in the process. Getting close and personal, Rokku used to the wood to whack the Galleon Bazooka's head. The wood broke immediately when Rokku used his strength to hit the Galleon. Although he did damage it a little, it wasn't enough to destroy it completely. As a consequence, Rokku was whacked by the Galleon Bazooka, sending him to the ground. The Galleon Hunter from behind proceeded to shot a energy bullet at the human's direction. The bullet missed as Rokku tried to move away, but it did not miss completely. The energy bullet grazed Rokku's left arm. His eyes shrunk and he yelped in pain. He cringed onto his left arm as it burned from the energy bullet. It was but a scratch, but the bleeding had begun. He panted heavily and held back his tears, as he was determined to get as close as Menart and Mega as possible. However, his plan seemed to be thwarted when the Galleon Hunter stood in his path and proceeded to aim at Rokku, preparing to shoot again.

Mega Man couldn't let that happen. He kicked the Galleon Bazooka as hard as he could and tried to protect Rokku before he was killed. Rokku's heart settled a little as he thought he was going to die. However, the danger was not yet over. The Galleon Hunter aimed it's buster and prepared to shoot once again.

"Look out!" Menart cried, shooting down another Galleon Hunter, leaving only one left.

Mega Man quickly dashed over to his new friend, hoping he could at least take the shot. As he approached the human, Mega Man's chest began to shine brightly. Everything was going in slow motion. Mega Man jumped in front of Rokku to take the shot that the Galleon Hunter was prepared to release. Mega Man screamed, getting ready to take the pain. Rokku watched in awe as Mega was willing to put his life at risk for him. Mega Man's chest area began to shine even brighter, eventually engulfing him in a bright light. Rokku's teary eyes couldn't believe Mega Man was glowing. However, he noticed that Mega Man was... merging with him...!? He felt Mega Man's armor materialize with him. Rokku began to scream as it was somehow painful. The Galleon Hunter was pushed back by the light, standing beside the Galleon Bazooka. Menart looked on in awe and confusion.

The light then shimmered down, showing Rokku on the ground... He had Mega Man's helmet on his head, his brown hair sticking out through the helmet...? He also had on Mega Man's arms and boots...? He's even wearing 'briefs'... However, he still had on his regular jacket, shirt and pants. All in all, Rokku looked...ridiculous...

Rokku screamed upon seeing him in weird armor. "Wh-Wh-What happened!? What's with the get-up!?"

Rokku suddenly heard Mega Man speak out loud, despite not being anywhere in sight. "Oooohhh... Huh? WHOA!" Mega screamed from...somewhere. "I can't feel my arms! I can't feel my legs! I can't feel anything! How can I speak!? Where am I!?"

This was all very confusing indeed. What caused them to fuse like that? However, the remaining Galleons have been quite patient thus far. The Galleon Hunter shot energy bullets at Rokku, but they were blocked when he used his arms to defend himself. Surprisingly, it did not hurt as much. In fact, the burning pain that was on his arm is gone! The wound wasn't there anymore either! What in the world is happening?

"I don't know how, but I think we fused together..." Mega Man said, sounding scared about the situation.

"F-Fused?" Rokku repeated, taking cover so he doesn't get shot at anymore. "How can that happen?! How _DID_ it happen?!"

"Like I said, I don't know. However, you seem to be wearing pieces of my battle armor. If that's the case, then you should be able to use my Mega-Buster... Assuming that it's not jammed."

"Your Mega-Buster? How do I use that?" Rokku asked. Suddenly, a Mega-Buster appeared in his right hand. He panicked upon this sudden realization.

"WHAAA! I-I-I can't feel my hand anymore!" Rokku whined.

"Th-That's okay! Just aim the Mega-Buster at those Mavericks!" Mega instructed, trying to sound calm about this silly situation.

Rokku swallowed his fear and aimed his Mega-Buster at the approaching Galleons. He aimed, but he didn't know how to shoot. He wasn't holding onto a trigger or anything.

"Hang on... Just focus and release your energy!" Mega instructed.

"But, I can't feel my hand! How do I even shoot?!"

"I don't know! It's easier for me because I'm a robot!" Mega argued. "Just think about shooting or something!"

Rokku did just that and surprisingly he released an energy bullet. It hit the Galleon Hunter but more shots were needed to finish it off. Unfortunately, Rokku was not prepared for the recoil and got knocked on his bottom.

"Hey! You did it!" Mega Man congratulated. "Keep it up until they are defeated!"

Rokku nodded and kept shooting. There was little to no effort put into this and in no time flat, the Galleons were destroyed. He had done it.

"I... I did it...?" Rokku said, holding onto his Mega-Buster. He shook his head violently. "H-Hey, but how did we fuse together like that?!"

"I. Don't. Know." Mega repeated for the third time. He did not mean to sound agitated, but this whole scenario was just as confusing for him as it was for Rokku.

Menart appeared after being brought back from reality. He was too stunned at the sudden fusion to help out. He was fortunate that Rokku had it all covered.

"You two just fused!" Menart exclaimed. "That's crazy!"

"You're telling me..." Rokku whimpered.

"Let's not waste any more time here though." Mega Man said. "Let's go see Dr. Ciel. Maybe she knows something about our sudden fusion."

With that, Menart and Rokku (and Mega Man) ran back to The Sanctuary...

* * *

Without wasting anymore time, Rokku, Mega Man, and Menart explain the situation to Dr. Ciel. Ciel was a little upset knowing that they got attacked; especially towards their supposed bodyguard, Menart, but she dismissed him and the prior incident over the current situation. She appeared to be surprised, yet there was a hint that she wasn't.

"So, I was right after all." Ciel muttered.

"Right about what?" Mega Man questioned, still talking out loud from somewhere.

"This fusion was born because of Biometal properties.." Ciel said.

"Biometal?" Rokku repeated. He remembers her speaking of it yesterday. However, he wished to know more now that he knew that it had something to do with his unexpected fusion with Mega.

"What exactly is Biometal?" Mega Man asked, sharing Rokku's interest.

Ciel began explaining. "A Biometal is a mechanical artifact that is able to merge with a person, which in turn gives the user amazing powers and abilities. The process of fusing with a host is called 'Megamerge', and they are able to do this with the **M.E.G.A.** System; standing for **M** eta- **E** ncapsulated **G** ranule **A** wareness. When the Biometal Megamerges with a host, they become the host's living armor. This also creates a new being known as a **Mega Man**."

Rokku raised a brow at the last part. He was going to ask about it, but his friend beat him to the punch.

"A Mega Man?" Mega asks. "I hope I'm not sounding like an egomaniac but... It's named after me?"

Ciel nods. "Yes. Me and my crew found plenty of info relating to Biometal. I found a diary entry in one of the facilities and it stated that the megamerged entity is named after a ancient hero of the 21st Century that proceeded the one that lived for over a century... That hero being you, and you are the predecessor of another great hero."

Mega Man thought deeply about this. This was a lot to absorb and it was difficult given that he practically jumped over four centuries ahead. He did not know who his successor was, but he was sure he or she did well to try and maintain peace. Aside from that, Mega was curious about one other thing.

 _"Who could've made Biometal?"_ He thought.

Ciel held her hand to her chest. "When Rokku and I were working on you, I noticed properties similar to Biometal. I would know this because I am responsible for creating six Biometals."

And Mega Man's previous question was answered.

"You are?" Rokku asked. He didn't seem too surprised, but that was primarily because she said that she was using Biometal to prolong her life. He also had no idea about the power of a Biometal.

Ciel nodded. "Yes... I created the six Biometals based on a single Biometal known as a Model W. It's evil and it has the power to corrupt others. This power of corruption is what caused one of our comrades to go berserk a long time ago. My comrades bought me enough time to escape while they fought him off. I fear that I was the only survivor..."

Ciel shook her head, trying to not remember that memory. "A-Anyway, it's obvious that someone was working on you Mega, and whoever it was wanted you to merge with a host."

"I see..." Mega said, sighing.

"But quick question," Rokku began. "How can we... uh, separate?"

Ciel smiled. "Just relax and calm yourself. If you do just that, you'll be separated."

Rokku took a heavy inhale and then exhaled loudly. A bright light quickly flashed and Mega Man fell on the ground. Rokku no longer had Mega Man as his armor.

"Hey! We're back to normal!" Rokku exclaimed.

Ciel placed her hand on her chin with a sly smile on her face. She thought deeply about this ancient hero and the young boy. "Mega Man, I would like to further analyze you and fix any other problems you may have."

Mega Man was brought to his feet thanks to Rokku. "Um, sure." Mega brought out his Mega-Buster. "My Mega-Buster seems to be busted. It stopped working after I shot a few rounds."

Ciel nodded. "Okay, then that will be the first thing I work on."

"Hey, do you think I can help?" Rokku asked.

"Hmm, not this time, Rokku." Ciel said with a smile. She could see his disappointment, something she expected. "I'm going to need to be alone just for a little bit."

* * *

With knowledge on their sudden fusion, Ciel begins to work on Mega Man a little more. Rokku wasn't allowed to help this time around. It wasn't that Rokku was a bad assistant, but Ciel wanted him to help out others in The Sanctuary. Instead, Cerveau, who had recently returned from his trip with a lot of rare materials, decided to work with Ciel on Mega Man. Ciel puts Mega Man to sleep, shutting down his systems in order to properly work on him.

"So that's the ancient robot from the 21st Century, eh?" Cerveau questioned, observing the body.

"That's right. Isn't it amazing?" Ciel asked in awe. "We get to see firsthand a creation from 500 years ago."

"Yes, it truly is amazing," Cerveau admitted. "But, you told me that Rock Light possesses properties similar to Biometal?"

Ciel nodded. "I'm just assuming things, but I think whoever was trying to rebuild him had the intent of merging him with a host."

"I see. However, what do you intend on doing?" Cerveau asked.

Ciel smiled. "I'm going to properly fix him and be very thorough during this process. Seeing Rokku and Mega Man megamerge like that has given me some ideas... Cerveau, will you assist me?"

Cerveau nodded. "Of course."

While Rokku was traveling with Hibou, Faucon and Menart for more Ceratanium Crystals, Ciel and Cerveau were able to continuously work on their new project. Doigt also provided assistance once he was informed of Ciel's plan. During this project, Ciel put much thought into networking, something that she's grown to learn over the years now that the need for it has increased tremendously. Fortunately, Doigt was able to help with that department since too he has knowledge of networking.

One thing Ciel noticed when Rokku and Mega Man were fused is that it looked... Well, silly and quite frankly, incomplete. She seeks to fix that. By further analyzing Mega Man and the M.E.G.A. System implanted within him, she made a important discovery: Mega Man would not be able to fuse properly with Rokku without a tool. Whoever tried to rebuild him did things differently with the M.E.G.A. System that make it tougher for the megamerge to work correctly. While she has noted that Mega Man was once able to become a Biometal, too much has been done to the system for him to become a complete Biometal. Besides, she had worked so hard to fix him previously, so why would she just change him into a Biometal?

With Cerveau and Doigt's assistance, Ciel was able to work on a device; a device that was inspired by Menart's comic books. This device took days to complete and Rokku, while sometimes questioning Mega's whereabouts, was quite occupied. He was technically helping them by grabbing more material with the others.

Ciel and Cerveau even developed a special chip that would be embedded into Mega Man. The device looked like a gauntlet-sized wristwatch of some kind. Its design was rather simple and it had a screen on the front side.

Eventually, the project along with Mega Man was completed 8 days later...

 **July 6, 25XX**

Rokku stood in the main entryway with his arms folded and smile on his face. Ciel told him that there was a surprise waiting for him. Rokku, being the childish kid that he was known for, was excited for this surprise. Moments after waiting, Ciel, Cerveau and Mega Man appeared through the corridor to meet him at the entryway.

"I'm sorry we kept you waiting for so long." Ciel apologized.

Rokku walked over to Mega Man, hugging him tightly. "It's okay, Dr. Ciel." Mega Man returned the hug.

"It's good to see you again, Mega." Rokku grinned after releasing his friend from his hug. "How are you feeling after spending over a week in hibernation~?"

"I'm feeling fine, thanks." Mega responded.

Ciel looked at Cerveau and smiled at the two's interactions. If Rokku and Mega Man weren't friends before, then they definitely were now.

The doctor looked back at the boys and clapped her hands together. "We've worked tirelessly on our new project."

"New project?" Rokku asked. He looked at Mega Man who just smiled. Clearly, Mega Man knew something that Rokku didn't. The boy was really curious on what they had to show off. Something Rokku didn't notice is that Ciel was hiding her right arm behind her back.

"It's unfortunate Doigt isn't able to join us for the revelation." Cerveau said. "He worked just as hard as us to complete this project."

"Without further ado, I present to you," Ciel revealed what she was hiding. "The **Combination-Carrier**! ...Or just the Combi-Carrier for short!"

Rokku stared in awe at the device. It looked so new and brightly colored, just like Mega Man's main colors on his battle armor. It was like a gauntlet-sized wristwatch, and it had a large screen on it. Though the design was quite simplistic. He had no idea what its purpose was.

"Please put it on your wrist." Ciel instructed. Rokku took the Combi-Carrier and examined it further before doing what was asked of him. He slipped his left hand through the Combi-Carrier, fitting completely. It looked pretty big but it was pretty light.

"We should thank you Rokku, since you technically assisted us in the development of the Combi-Carrier." Cerveau explained. "By helping collect rare materials such as Ceratanium Crystals and the Titanium-X you retrieved 5 days ago, you and the others made the project go by so much faster."

Rokku was glad to know he contributed somehow, but he didn't exactly know what this device did. "Happy to help, but...what does it do?" He figured it was pretty important given how much they were hyping it up.

Ciel giggled. "Allow me to explain."

Ciel waved her finger, explaining the situation. "The day we discovered that you and Mega Man could megamerge, it made me want to analyze Mega further. While you were asleep that night when we were finishing up Mega Man's restoration, I noticed that he had similar properties to Biometal. However, you two would never be able to fuse properly without a device to stabilize and perfect the transformation. This sparked the development of Combi-Carrier!"

"We took inspiration from your interests in networking to really help in the Combi-Carrier's development." Cerveau added. "The Combi-Carrier has a database, communication capabilities, and can even scan data chips to use at a later date."

Rokku had mentioned that networking was one of his interests, though he never thought that such a thing would be incorporated into this...device.

"When we were developing the device, Cerveau, Doigt and myself also developed a special chip known as the **Combi-Chip**. This data chip is embedded into Mega's systems so the megamerge can be perfected. The chip is essential for making megamerge a possibility." Ciel explained. "I should note that the Combi-Carrier's material is very strong and resilient. Nothing should be able to break it since it's like a Mettaur hard hat."

"A Mettaur? I thought they were called Metools?" Rokku questioned.

"They go by many name variations." Ciel giggled once more. "Anyway, with this device, you may fuse properly. Please, try to megamerge."

The screen on the Combi-Carrier shined. Rokku saw that it almost like a PDA of some sort. It made him smile since this device was what he had in mind if he intended on getting into networking in the future.

"Alright, so how do I megamerge?" Rokku asked.

"Simple. Focus." Ciel explained. "Just think about it and it will happen!"

Rokku nodded and did just that. Suddenly, Mega Man's chest area began to shine brightly just like last time. However, the Combi-Carrier's screen also shined too. Rokku watched as Mega Man quickly changed into tiny little particles. The particles entered the Combi-Carrier and a light engulfed Rokku. Once the light shimmered down, Ciel and Cerveau found results.

Rokku now had on Battle Armor that resembled Mega Man's armor, but with a slightly new design. The color was a darker shade of blue than usual but still had the heroic light to it. Rokku was wearing a black bodysuit that many Humans wore. He even had white fingertips on his fingerless gloves.

Over that bodysuit was the armor. Rokku had on Mega Man's helmet, but with changes. It's blue and it has a cyan exclamation mark symbol on the top. He has gray ear plates unlike the usual cyan. The helmet has a cyan trim at the sides of the helmet with two red circles in that section. This trim connects to the ear and on the back of the helmet in a line fashion. He has a blue neck collar that's connected to his battle vest which acted as his chest plate. There was a large square in the center of the chest plate as well.

He's wearing the Combi-Carrier in his left arm and a regular gauntlet arm guard on his right arm, with a charge meter on it. He's wearing briefs with a half square on the top, and some half squares near the exit way for his legs. He's wearing large blue boots with a square design on the front top area near where his feet enter. There's also gray "ear" plates on the sides of the boots, a large silver plate in the heel area and soles colored dark gray. Something that should be easily noticed is that Rokku's hair is mostly sticking inside of the helmet and that his hair is sticking out in his back into four spikes. Also, his hair is black for reasons unknown.

"Whoa..." Rokku muttered. He looked cooler than he did before. He looked like a genuine hero, not a clown like before. He took a look at his Combi-Carrier to find Mega Man on the screen.

"Hi!" Mega waved, chipperly.

"Mega Man! How'd you get in there?!" Rokku asked, sounding happy yet confused.

"We took a huge risk with that technique." Cerveau explained.

"Using properties from Transervers, we were able to integrate a similar function in Mega Man's Combi Chip." Ciel added. "In order for you both to fuse, Mega Man will be converted into program data and enter the Combi-Carrier. From there, Mega Man will be materializing armor around you. Don't you feel stronger?"

"Yeah, I do!" Rokku said, smiling heroically.

"From here on out, I'll be your navigator and even provide you with information." Mega Man explained from inside the Combi-Carrier. "At least we know where my voice is coming from this time!"

"Yeah, I agree with ya there, partner~!" Rokku agreed, laughing.

"With this fusion, I guess this makes new Mega Man!" Mega quipped.

This suddenly gives Ciel an idea as she smiles.

"You do have a point, Mega. Since you are now megamerged, I think it's appropriate if we acknowledge you as **Model M**."

Rokku thought about the name. It sounded rather boring for a superhero name. However, he did not even think about _why_ Ciel and co. gave him the Combi-Carrier and why they did what they did to Mega Man. No, he was far too focused on what was happening now; And quite frankly, Rokku didn't seem to like the name.

"Model M? Sounds a little boring, to be honest." Rokku said. "I mean, this is the return of Mega Man, so shouldn't he get a cooler sounding name?"

Ciel smiled. Typically, Biometals are known by a Model and a letter afterwards. However, she could perhaps make an exception since Mega Man wasn't technically a Biometal. Taking Rokku's words into consideration, she conjured up a new name. "Alright, then how about, **Mega Man Neo**?"

"The word "Neo" originates from Ancient Greek, meaning "new" or "young". Sounds fitting, does it not?" Ciel asked.

Rokku grinned. "Yeah! Mega Man Neo! I love it!"

"So do I! I completely approve of it!" Mega agreed.

Ciel giggled happily. "Okay then! From this moment on, when you megamerge, you shall be known as... _ **Mega Man Neo~!**_ "

However, the celebration was cut short when Doigt appeared. He held a device similar to the one Menart had before. But, Doigt appeared to be appalled. "Ciel, we have a critical issue!"

Ciel and Cerveau instantly turned around, giving Doigt their attention.

"What's the problem?" Ciel asked sternly.

"Mavericks are sighted and they approaching the Sanctuary...!" Doigt explained, trying to sound calm. "The readings are higher than usual."

Ciel's eyes widened at the readings. "Oh no..."

Suddenly, Faucon bursts through the front doors, looking unusually worried.

"We've got a large group of Mavericks approaching us!" Faucon informed.

"No... No way..." Ciel said, feeling upset. They haven't had a reading this large for a long time.

"Don't worry, me and Rokku will deal with it!" Mega said through the Combi-Carrier.

"We will?" Rokku, currently as Mega Man Neo, asked.

The question caught Mega off guard. He sounded a little annoyed. "YES, we will."

"I mean, of course, we will!" Neo said, trying to restate what he meant to say. "What I mean is that we are going to take on that entire Maverick army? By ourselves?"

"Listen to yourself," Mega said rolling his eyes. "WE are together! WE can handle this no problem! Don't you feel the surge of power flowing through you?"

"Yeah, I can..." Neo whimpered. Truth be told, he was a little afraid. However, he needed to suck it up and demonstrate their combined power!

He shook his head and looked at Ciel. "Alright then! We will fend off the Mavericks while you guys hang back!"

Faucon swung his arm for emphasis in his upcoming question. "Are you insane?! You can't possibly handle that entire group alone!"

"Sure we can!" Mega responded. "We have to protect you guys, that's our job!"

"Er..." Neo wasn't so sure about this... However, he couldn't let the Mavericks attack the Sanctuary.

"Come on Rokku! I'll teach you as we fight!" Mega Man promised.

Neo nodded. "Okay!"

"Good luck...!" Ciel told them.

With that, Mega Man Neo rushed through the doors. From afar, he can see a dozen Galleons heading towards the Sanctuary. Alongside the Galleons were a few Moloids, three Grizzybears, and a couple of Cutting Gyros. There were Galleon Hunters, Galleon Bazookas, a Galleon Sledder and Galleon Wings. So many Mavericks to fight off.

Neo gulped and ran towards the Mavericks. He quickly summoned his Mega-Buster by focusing on said weapon. This felt different this time around. He could still feel his right hand and he was actually holding onto a trigger. Summoning the Buster also felt a lot more natural than before as he had complete control over his actions.

"Quick lesson!" Mega Man began. "As you can tell, you are now holding onto an actual trigger. Keep clicking it for rapid fire. Hold the trigger to charge your shots. We have two levels of charged shots: semi and max. Semi takes the quickest time to charge but Max takes just a little longer!"

"Okay!" Neo said, understanding the directions.

"Also, keep in mind that you can use either arm for your Mega-Buster! You can use two at once, but I don't recommend it!" Mega Man warned.

"W-Why not?" Neo asked suspiciously.

"I don't know, I just have this feeling!" Mega Man said. "Anyway, get ready Rokku!"

Mega Man Neo finally got in close range of the enemies. _"Those near mechaniloids looked a lot smaller from far away..."_ Neo thought. _"...I don't remember them being this big...!"_

"Don't hesitate! Just go for it!" Mega Man instructed.

Mega Man Neo held onto the trigger, dodging a Grizzybear's devastating slash. It amazed the boy how quickly he was able to react. "Good evasion!" Mega complimented. "With me as your partner, you can react much faster than usual!"

Neo was surprised by his quick reaction. He just...dodged it like it was nothing... He questioned how he did that, but he began to feel some confidence after that one evasion.

"Th-That's pretty cool...!" Neo admitted with a grin.

He aimed his Mega-Buster at a Grizzybear. During his evasion, he had reached maximum charge. He released the trigger, unleashing a large energy blast that ripped the Grizzybear in half, it's pieces falling and bouncing off the ground. In moments, the Grizzybear exploded. Neo felt happy. He felt good. He felt strong! _"This is just like a video game...!"_ He thought.

Soon, a trio of Galleon Hunters approached and opened fire. Mega Man Neo was able to dodge the shots and released a couple of energy bullets from his Mega-Buster, destroying them with a couple of shots. A Moloid appeared before Neo and slammed it's hammer down on the ground. The impact sent Mega Man Neo flying back just a little, but he stood his ground. He ran back to the Moloid, saving a charged shot just for it. Once close enough, Mega Man Neo released a max-leveled charged shot, destroying the Moloid but its hammer fell on the ground. This gave the hero an idea.

Grabbing the Moloid's hammer, he smashed the Galleon Bazooka before it could launch a missile. He used the hammer to knock off the Galleon that was hanging below the sledder, causing it to fall on the ground. He proceeded to smash the head in pieces and threw the hammer at the rider on the sledder, destroying that Galleon too.

He turned to the last two Grizzybears and a Moloid, also observing the two Galleon Wings in the sky shooting a couple of rounds. Mega Man Neo dodged the blasts and released a charged shot at the Moloid, stealing it's hammer and using it for the Grizzybears while dodging the Galleon Wing's shots. Using the Hammer, Mega Man Neo prevented the Grizzybear from slashing him by breaking the Grizzybear's arm. He then released a charged shot at the other Grizzybear, destroying that one, and he smashed the Grizzybear that had no arm with the hammer.

The Galleon Wings decided to descend to tackle into Mega Man Neo. He used the Hammer to try and whack them, but failed. He threw the hammer at them but missed. Mega Man Neo decided to try to get up close and personal, jumping in the air. He was amazed at how high he was jumping, getting six feet off the ground! He kicked the single Galleon Wing on the ground and released a semi-charged shot, destroying it. He then charged up his Mega-Buster for maximum charge to finish off the last mechaniloid in sight. He jumped and released it in the Galleon's face, destroying it.

Mega Man Neo was victorious!

"Wow...! We're really strong...!" Neo exclaimed. He didn't know he was capable of fighting like he did. He always thought of himself as a wimp because his fighting skills were a little lacking, but his fight against a couple of Mavericks that would've normally terrified him proved otherwise!

"Heh, you adapted to this form easier than we thought! Good job!" Mega Man complimented. "You are a quick learner, Rokku!"

"Thanks, Mega! I think this form is making me feel stronger and faster!" Neo said. If what his friend said was true, then Neo was beginning to really become the new Mega Man.

Ciel and the others had watched Mega Man Neo's battle closely. All of them were in awe of what the kid had done in no time flat. Without him, getting rid of the Mavericks would've been troublesome and time-consuming.

"Wow... He's almost like X..." Faucon muttered.

Ciel smiled. "Those two will get along very well... Especially since Rokku adapted to the Megamerge quicker than I expected."

"The readings have disappeared. I suppose the large Maverick reading was a false alarm." Doigt said, lowering his device.

"I guess those Mavericks were nothing more than punching bags for the kid, huh?" Faucon quipped.

Ciel smiled at Mega Man Neo jumping up and down in victory. She smiled, feeling hope for the young boy and the ancient robot who was officially his friend.


	4. One-Shot: Composure and Aggression

_Note: This One-Shot takes place between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. This is during the time Rokku and Mega Man are "training" at The Sanctuary._

* * *

 **July 11, 25XX**

Shade has trekked far since she departed from the ship 2 weeks ago. The kunoichi didn't know _exactly_ where she was, but she knew she was still in Asia. She was a traveler with no set destination, so she was not going to a specific place in the world. However, she could not just wander too blindly. She could not stay where she once called "home". She knew it would be dangerous to stay there and it would be even worse if she had decided to go back. She had made her decision and for the moment she needed to journey around the world, searching for that time where she is most needed; a time where the world is in peril.

Shade would come across a small and ghostly town. The place was almost empty and the mist made this place seem hair-raising. Shade was not moved by the environment. She spoke with the townspeople and learned that she was near the borders of Europe. If she wanted to go to Europe, she'll either have to find official transportation through the use of an airship and train or walk through the mountain regions. She was not going to leave the town without resources, however. She's been out for days without nourishment and she needed some energy; especially after it's been some time since her last major battle without the necessary amount of food to keep her moving. She acquired herself a small gray duffel bag to hold her container of dumplings, her steel flask to keep clean water inside, and Energy Crystals that she had found along the way. She had no need to pack clothes even though she has been wearing her kimono for days. Her clothing and accessories were quite "special". In addition to being light and suitable for someone like Shade, they were also incapable of carrying odor. They _can_ be stained and scratched, not that it means much.

After gathering up resources, she left the town and decided that heading to the mountains was her only real option. She had snuck onto a ship to get to where she was now so getting on a train or airship was out of the question. She lacked the items needed to get around officially. She knew that someday she would have to find a way to acquire such items because sneaking around like this was not going to last forever.

* * *

Shade had stepped into a silent, misty and dark forest. Only the light from the moon above shed light through the thicket. The kunoichi did not like the atmosphere around the area and she wanted to sleep, but she was not sleeping in this part of the forest. Much to her dismay, she might have to skip sleeping tonight if she can't find a suitable place to rest her body.

The ravenette let out an agitated sigh. She needed to pass the time with something, so she began to think about her goals in life. To be honest, leaving her home to travel was something she hadn't quite thought through. It was bad enough that she had no set destination which meant she was wandering "blindly" but she also had no idea how she was supposed to stop the Mavericks. All she knew was the Model Ws were responsible for creating Mavericks and powering up machinery, but there was no way that she alone could find every single Model W and destroy it. Besides, she believed that destroying all Model Ws wouldn't quite solve the problem. Someone had to have made Model Ws so she needed to also find the creator. None of these would be easy to accomplish; especially by herself.

She's alone on this journey and it never really crossed her mind that this was the case.

Stopping where she was, she began to realize the halting truth.

She was alone.

She alone can't save the world.

She needed help.

The kunoichi frowned at this. She could fight quite well, but she is nowhere near perfect. She could not fight by herself all the time. She was undoubtedly going to confront people capable of outsmarting her and overpowering her.

Should she have stayed home awhile longer?

Should she have come up with a better plan than this?

She shook her head. She knew she had to leave her home as soon as possible; especially when a crisis was on the horizon. However, she needed to think about how she was going to fight the enemy. She needed to find a helper or two; someone who she could rely on.

Shade's thoughts were halted as her eyes shoot wide open and her body tenses up. Standing there, she focuses her hearing in the surrounding area. She could feel something...menacing near her. It was like someone was watching her.

Suddenly, Shade jumped from where she once stood and landed on her feet. In an instant, her beam-katana materialized into her hand and she looked at the dust created from the ground. Slowly, the smoke began to clear and the kunoichi saw a purple light illuminating the misty area. Standing where Shade was prior was a young woman with long purple hair, clad in yellow and black. She was dressed like a business worker with pieces of armor attached to her. The most defining feature were the purple crystals on parts of her body: One above her chest area, two near the back of her hands, two on her hips, and one for her boots. In her hand was a giant purple blade of concentrated energy, not unlike the beam-katana she held in her very hand.

Shade knew for certain that this strange woman was the source of the menacing feeling she had. Seeing her up close made Shade realize that the aura she's feeling is far more dangerous than she had thought.

Who was this woman? She must be an assassin based on the fact she tried to attack her. That makes her an enemy. But... Who _was_ she?

"Who are you...?" Shade asked.

The ravenette did not get the reply she wanted. She tensed upon seeing the woman's empty and emotionless purple eyes immediately shoot towards her. The assassin made a mad dash towards Shade, causing the latter to back away to avoid being sliced in half.

 _"She's quick...!"_ Shade thought, dodging another slash from the assassin. Each step Shade took, the woman was hot on her trail. She appeared to be very determined in eliminating her.

The kunoichi decided to fight her assailant, holding her katana out to clash with her opponent's blade. Shade clenched her teeth as their clashed blades shook in a struggle.

 _"She doesn't particularly look like a fighter aside from the armor pieces..."_ Shade thought. _"Although... I'm getting a sense of familiarity with her... Or rather, I'm getting a sense of familiarity with the energy surrounding her..."_

Shade knew this person wasn't going to talk; especially if she was an assassin. She needed to beat her in combat if she was going to get answers...

At least, she hopes that's what happens after beating her.

The ravenette broke the clash and dashed back again with the woman hot on her heels. Shade, however, managed to fool her for a moment as she jumped against a tree and made a dive to the ground. With the assailant momentarily caught off guard, Shade took the opportunity to try and slash her. However, the woman immediately turned around holding her blade up in defense; blocking Shade's slash. The kunoichi returned back to being on the defensive, dodging her opponent's deadly attacks. She knew she had to fight back and so she did. Repeatedly, their blades traded blows; loud sparks sounded with each clash. Shade had already acknowledged that her assailant was quick, but for her parries had shown Shade that she was not an inexperienced fighter; not by a long shot. She was deadly and if Shade made one wrong move it could be the end of her.

Shade parried off her opponent's blade and she threw three kunais in her direction. Without effort, the assailant twirled her blade like a windmill, blocking all three of them and immediately resuming her slashing and stabbing. All of a sudden, the assailant's eyes widened with an angry glare and she dashed towards the kunoichi. Shade had little time react as her opponent suddenly had her hand in her face, slamming her head into the ground. The woman immediately tried driving her blade into her, but Shade materialized a kunai and stabbed the woman's side. The woman let out a cry of pain, but before she could compose herself, Shade used her foot to kick the girl off of her.

Shade was surprised to see the woman effortlessly pull the kunai out from her hip. She was even more surprised upon realizing that there wasn't any blood leaving from the "wound" despite feeling the kunai being pierced pretty deep into her armor. The ravenette had little time to think as she dodged an energy wave created by the woman's blade. Shade could sense that her assailant was furious. Shade slashed right through another energy wave and stepped out of the way to dodge the purple-haired fighter's powerful stab, but she could not dodge the woman's kick that followed immediately after her lunge attack. Shade managed to stay on her toes, but her assailant was attacking much more viciously than before.

The kunoichi's heart jumped when she managed to slide underneath a slash that would've taken her head clean off. Shade had little time to breathe after that short near-death experience. Gritting her teeth, she decided to toss her shurikens at the assailant. Her opponent effortlessly dodged and repelled each shuriken she threw with her blade. The ravenette had observed her opponent, though it wasn't as easy as she thought. The assailant was quick, strong and _intelligent_. It was difficult for Shade to find a strategy in beating her since she was so close to her like a predator pouncing at their prey. However, she realized that her assailant likes to use her blade to counter or block most of her attacks.

With that in mind, Shade needed to get rid of that blade.

Shade let out a yell as she swung her katana at the opponent's blade. With her powerful swing, Shade managed to knock the blade right out of her opponent's hands. The woman had a momentary look of shock upon seeing Shade do this. The blade flew right into a tree nearby and the woman desired to get her hands on it again. After putting her katana away, Shade managed to land a clean kick to the woman's chin and she would follow this with a punch directed to her face. Her opponent, however, quickly recovered and swiped Shade's hand away and proceeded to punch Shade in the abdomen. Even without her blade, the assailant's strikes were quick and powerful. Shade took in a few more blows before she pulled out a giant shuriken that was attached to her right wrist that blocked her opponent's following strike. Shade then turned the weapon, making the shuriken spin like a saw blade. The ravenette tried grazing her purple-haired foe, but she made careful steps to avoid it. Shade tried once more to slash her, but the opponent jumped in the air, twirling a couple of times before she landed behind Shade. She sensed that her foe was behind her so she turned around quickly to attack her before she could. Shade managed to dodge her opponent's punch upon crouching and sweeping her leg across the ground, causing the assailant to fall on her back.

Before she could get back on her feet, Shade immediately wrapped her hand around her neck and pointed her kunai directly at her face. Shade glared directly at her assailant's apathetic eyes as she breathed heavily. She was exhausted and, more importantly, irritated.

"Now... I want answers..." Shade growled. "Who are you and who do you work for?"

The woman remained motionless and her lips were sealed tight as they were since she appeared. Shade inched the tip of her kunai closer to her assailant's face. Her emotion did not change despite being so close to losing her life at the hands of her target.

"Are you really willing to take the answers to your grave?" Shade asks her. "Whoever you're working for likely wants to dominate the world or spread depravity. You would work for someone like that?"

Once again, the woman stayed silent. Shade put the kunai closer to her face. Despite her threatening tone, she did not appear ready to plunge the kunai deep into her assailant's skull. The only lives she's taken were from simple-minded Mavericks and she felt no emotion from taking them out. They were made to destroy humanity, they could not think about preserving or protecting them.

Destroy. Destroy. Destroy.

So, why would she feel sorry for eliminating them? She had no reason to feel sorry for something made to destroy.

Her assailant, on the other hand, was a breathing life form.

A human.

She has never taken the life of a human or a reploid before. She almost desperately wanted answers but it seemed her threats were falling on deaf ears.

"I was sent to eliminate you."

Shade's eyes widened. For the first time, her assailant spoke. She sounded like she had little emotion in her voice.

"They call me... _**The Elite Slayer**_."

Shade let out a gasp of shock.

 _If me and my siblings can't take you down, then_ _ **the Elite Slayer**_ _definitely can._

This is the one Ignitus spoke of weeks ago... The one that is supposed to impede her progress...

Shade let out a yell when she felt something graze her arm. Shade immediately backed away from the woman, holding her arm and watching the woman slowly get back on her feet; a contrast to how quick she usually was. The Elite Slayer glared at Shade, holding a kunai; one of the few that Shade had tried throwing at her earlier. She must've grabbed it while Shade was momentarily lost in her thoughts about ending her life.

"You are my target but you exhibit persistence." The Elite Slayer said. "I will eliminate you one way or the other."

Her eyes glowed ominously as a visible aura began to appear around her. " _ **Resistance is futile.**_ "

The Elite Slayer threw the kunai at Shade, but she used the kunai in her hand to reflect it. Shade blocked a strike from her opponent's fist and went to block another. Strike after strike, Shade managed to block each of them, but not with ease. She was finding difficulty dodging her foe's attacks as the speed and strength of them were increasing as the fight persisted. Shade did not take this woman as someone experienced in hand-to-hand combat, but given the assailant's display during the duel Shade should refrain from underestimating her.

"Tch! You're the one Ignitus spoke of!" Shade cried, countering the Slayer's kicks with her own. "He must've sent you!"

The woman did not give her a verbal response this time. Instead, she continued the fight, getting more violent as it went on.

"That must mean you're affiliated with his master; **Wraith**!" Shade deduced, parrying off her opponent's attacks with struggle.

The Slayer's eyes suddenly glow again and she scowls viciously. Shade's arm was caught and in seconds she was flung into the air. Shade landed on her feet, albeit sloppily. The kunoichi watched as the Elite Slayer pulled her energy blade from the tree and turned her attention back to Shade. With the Slayer's blade back in her hands, Shade knew she had to materialize her katana again.

Their blades clashed immediately after Shade had her katana in hand. However, Shade was beginning to slow down and she was unable to keep up with her assailant for much longer. She was already tired and exhausted from her excursion and this was her first true fight since Ignitus weeks ago. Shade was not in tip-top condition while her opponent was and more.

She had a chance to finish her off, but she didn't which led to her getting her arm grazed. If she had killed the assailant earlier, she would've been victorious. However, she wasn't quite sure if she was _truly_ capable of ending her life. She was not like the Mavericks; she was a human doing the bidding of someone evil.

At this rate, Shade was not going to defeat the Elite Slayer. Not today at least.

She needed to get away from her. She needed to retreat. One mistake and it'll be her last.

 _"I can't win this battle..."_ She thought as she parried off her opponent's blade. _"If I don't escape, I'm done for...!"_

Shade began another clashing struggle with their blades scratching against each other, trying to dominate the other. Shade used the strength she could muster to push her opponent back. With her opponent momentarily dazed, Shade tossed three kunais at the Slayer's feet and rushed into the bushes and trees. The Elite Slayer took a moment to stare at the ground where the kunais were stabbed into the ground. Her eyes widened upon realizing that these weren't ordinary kunais like before, but rather...explosives.

Shade did not look back as she heard an explosion from behind. She knew that did not finish her opponent off, but it did buy her some time.

...But perhaps not enough. Shade felt her presence hot on her trail. The Elite Slayer hopped from tree branch to tree branch, her eyes glowing in the darkness as she kept her eyes locked on her target. Shade just pressed forward, getting more and more exhausted from the chase. Pushing aside any bushes and branches in her way, Shade realized that her pathway was closing off. At the end was a cliff and who knows how far it was. Shade was willing to take her chances, however, for her assailant was but a couple of inches closer to beheading her.

Reaching the end, Shade immediately dove from the cliff, a second away from being dead. Down below was a pool of water with a waterfall nearby. Shade wanted to get into the water. Her assailant was persistent though. Although she did not quite jump in after her, she swung her sword, sending an energy wave her way. She managed to enter the water just as the energy wave got close. Inside, Shade swam around to get to shore. However, as luck would have it, a hole was present with a passage inside. Shade immediately swam into the passage, hoping it would lead her far away from her attacker.

The Elite Slayer had jumped from the cliff and landed on the ground without harm. She walked towards the water and observed the surrounding area. She expected to see a puddle of water on the ground where Shade could've been, but she saw no such thing. In fact, on her way down she did not see Shade come up.

Despite this, the Slayer could not and would not declare her target to be eliminated. Peering into the pool, she saw a suspicious looking hole. The Slayer narrowed her eyes upon seeing it.

It was official; her target managed to escape.

Staying silent, as usual, the Elite Slayer suddenly turned into a beam of light, teleporting out of the area. Her mission was unsuccessful...

... _ **For now**_.

* * *

Shade emerged from the deep waters and lifted her body over to the shore. The forest had multiple cliffs and "levels" of elevation, so the passage led her further down. She was far away from the Elite Slayer so she could let out a sigh of relief. She was fortunate that she was capable of breathing indefinitely underwater. Perhaps this was a skill that she acquired during self-training.

The only unfortunate part was that she was in the mountain regions so she was far away from civilization. As much as she tried to avoid it, she had no choice but to sleep out here. She couldn't go back now, not when she's trekked so far. Besides, her assailant could be out there and she did not want to get into a fight with her unless she was ready.

If only she had her rest long ago. If she had taken the time to truly rest her body, she would've been capable of fighting and maybe; just maybe she would've stood a chance against the Slayer. Her assailant was a formidable foe and she would make a great partner... if it weren't for the fact that the Slayer was an assassin ordered to kill her.

Shade questioned how Ignitus and his siblings managed to acquire such a powerful and deadly warrior. While Ignitus and the others were no slouch, the Elite Slayer was simply...superior in many ways including power and strategic intelligence on the battlefield. The person she mentioned, Wraith, might have something to do with it. Given her history with this character, she wouldn't doubt it, but at the same time, the Slayer's appearance didn't quite match with the likes of Ignitus. Still, it was a possibility.

Shade was struggling to think any further. She needed her long needed rest.

Walking on the mountain path, Shade found herself an acceptable sleeping area: A cavern nearby a cliff.

She took off her gray duffel bag and pulled out her steel flask containing water. She wished she could stuff a sleeping bag with her other belongings, but that simply wasn't possible. Since the beginning of her journey, she hasn't slept on anything...comfortable. A nice bed would suffice, but where would she find that out here?

A part of her believed that it would've been wiser to stay back in the village where she received the duffel bag and the items inside, but unfortunately, she was firm on continuing her travels. Her choice resulted in her getting ambushed by a powerful opponent, but perhaps her assailant would've found her in the village if she had stayed. Things probably would've gotten from bad to worse because innocent lives would in danger.

Her thoughts were beginning to diminish as she finished drinking her water. She placed her flask back into the duffel bag and lied said bag on the ground like a pillow. Lying down, she sighed deeply.

It was official.

 _ **She needed a partner that would fight alongside her.**_


	5. Chapter 4: Days of Yesteryear

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 4 - Days of Yesteryear

* * *

 **July 13, 25XX**

Ever since Rokku and Mega Man megamerged into Mega Man Neo, the two have worked under Ciel's supervision in order to further stabilize the form and experiment with their abilities. During Neo's battle against the Mavericks the other day, he and Mega acknowledged that the former was slowly adapting to the latter's skills. However, he was still a beginner.

Fortunately for Mega Man Neo, a training simulator was available for him. This training simulator was usually used for the likes of Faucon and Vantour. However, Cerveau tinkered with the control panel, adjusting it so that he was able to create simulations more suited for Mega Man Neo. The Blue Bomber has spent a week training to master the fusion and he has shown results. The training simulation was serving its purpose perfectly as Neo's time spent in here has improved his skills and abilities. He was even able to use his Mega-Buster without the recoil knocking him back. However, his training had not only improved his abilities but he had also gained new abilities along the way.

Within the grid-patterned room, Neo fought holographic versions of the mechaniloids that are often seen such as Galleons. The difficulty setting was set to Level 7; the highest being Level 20. As Neo fought, Mega continued to coach him, telling him when to strike and when to dodge and to observe the enemy. Mega, however, knew that fighting holographic Mavericks weren't quite enough to improve their fighting skills as they needed an opponent that wasn't a machine with basic functions. They needed an opponent that was capable of fighting like they could. Unfortunately, this was the best they could do for the moment.

After destroying the last hologram in sight, Neo turned to the screen where Ciel and Cerveau were observing.

"Hey! Can you crank it up to Level 10?" Rokku asked. "Actually... How about Level 12?"

Ciel looked at Cerveau and nodded, giving him permission to do so.

"Heh Heh, alright! Level 12, coming right up!" Cerveau replied, cranking the difficulty up by seven levels as requested.

Neo stood in the center as he watched another hologram slowly materialize before him. The hologram was very large and resembled **Dogu the Giant**.

"That's a **BIG** Mechaniloid!" Neo yelled, holding onto his Mega-Buster.

"Don't flip out!" Mega Man instructed.

"Oh, I'm not." Neo assured him. "After all, you know the old saying: _The bigger they are, the harder they fall~!_ "

"Be careful, Mega Man!" Ciel cried cautiously. "The Dogu is no child!"

"Ready..." Cerveau said, raising his finger. " **GO!** " With that, Cerveau began the simulation.

Immediately, the Dogu shot it's floating hands at Mega Man Neo, prompting him to jump into the air to evade it, charging his Mega-Buster in the process. He landed back on the ground and released his charged shot at the hands. It barely did anything to it. One hand returned to the giant while the other went towards the ground to knock Neo to the floor. The fighter held out his hands in an attempt to push the fist back before it could try. Neo held the fist back for quite awhile and he himself was beginning to wonder if he truly _WAS_ this strong. Soon, Mega Man Neo's hands flashed brightly for a brief second and suddenly, he had bigger and stronger hands. Without questioning it right away, Mega Man Neo pushed the fist back, making the Dogu stagger for just a little bit.

"According to my data, we've just unlocked the ' ** _Mega-Knuckle_** '!" Mega Man said through the Combi-Carrier. The device was merged with Neo's enlarged hands too. He took a closer look at them and he made a realization: His hands didn't grow bigger, he just had large, metallic, power fist attachments! He was wearing dark blue gauntlets that reached nearby his knuckles. He also had black mechanical hands. The hands looked like they belonged to some giant robot; much like the one in front of him.

"Pretty darn neat~!" Neo commented. Soon, the Dogu released flames from its gas guzzlers, heading right towards Mega Man Neo. The fighter dashed right towards it and thrusts his fist forward. Using his Mega-Knuckle weapons, he used so much force that his fists were able to cause the flames to vanish. To make matters better, his dash made his fist collide against the Dogu, damaging it. One might question how did he "damage" a hologram, but the explanation here is that this hologram was capable of showing "physical" damage to show progress. The hologram wasn't truly getting harmed, but it's programming made it appear as such.

Ciel and Cerveau watched as Mega Man Neo was obtaining many new skills.

"Look at that. He's adapting at such a rapid pace!" Cerveau commented.

"Yes, that is true. But, Rokku and Mega aren't fighting in full-sync..." Ciel replied. "If they were in full-synchronization, their power would be far greater than it is now."

Mega Man Neo jumped onto the lower half of the giant's body, changing his left hand into the Mega-Buster and released a few shots at the "gold spear-thingy" (So Neo describes it).

"Go for the eyes, Rokku!" Mega Man instructed. "Don't you see that the eyes are acting funny?"

"Y-Yeah, now I do!" Neo admitted, watching the eyes turn in a circle, opening and closing repeatedly. A mechaniloid like that can't possibly fight efficiently without the use of its eyes.

The Dogu opened its eyes completely and release twin lasers, heading straight for Mega Man Neo. He jumped and released a Max Powered charged shot at the Dogu's eye, destroying that one instantly and causing one of the lasers to vanish. Jumping onto to the right hand, he released another charged shot at the last eye. With that, the entire Mechaniloid began to distort, glitching out until it finally disappeared. If that was the real deal, it would've broken apart and, predictably, explode.

Faucon and Menart entered the observation room beside Ciel and Cerveau. "How's the new hero doing?" Faucon asked.

"He's doing just fine!" Cerveau commented. "The boy is quickly adapting to his new found form and is fighting as if he used this form before! It's amazing really!"

Ciel stood silent, observing Mega Man Neo standing there talking with his partner through the Combi-Carrier.

"We are really strong, aren't we Mega!?" Neo asked enthusiastically.

"We sure are! You really are getting used to this power! It's amazing how quickly you're adapting!" Mega Man replied.

"With this power, those Mavericks don't stand a chance! No longer will I be afraid of those easy-to-destroy Mavericks!"

"S-Sure..." Mega replied, looking a little nervous. This expression did not go unnoticed as his partner questioned him.

"What's the matter, Mega Man?" He asked, sounding concerned.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Mega quickly responded, displaying a smile on his face. "You are right! With this power, our enemies can never win! But then again, this is a simulation, not the real deal!"

"Yeah," Neo replied. "But the real deal isn't going to be a match for us~!" He began to laugh, Mega joining in on the laugh.

Cerveau turned on the intercom and spoke to the boys. "You both sound pretty confident. Shall we crank it to Level 20?"

Neo waved his hand and shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm done for now!"

With that, the megamerge ended as Mega Man materialized next to Rokku.

"I am pretty hungry though... The last time I ate was yesterday in the afternoon..." Rokku said, rubbing and patting his tummy.

Ciel took the intercom, displaying a warm smile. "Come out then! We'll fix you up something right away~!"

"Great, I'm starving~!" Rokku screamed, grabbing Mega Man's arm and dragging him out of the simulator room.

* * *

Later that night, in the lab, Rokku and Mega Man were observing Ciel work on her computer, doing a quick bug test on the Combi-Carrier. All tests passed meaning that the Combi-Carrier was perfected.

"Alright, the Combi-Carrier is A-OK!" Ciel said with a cheerful smile.

Rokku had a nervous smile on his face while Mega Man had no smile on his face. Ciel's smile also dropped. She unplugged the Combi-Carrier and gave it back to Rokku.

"Here Rokku."

Rokku took it and attached it to his left arm. Then...Silence. Aside from the beeping coming from the technology that surrounded the room, no one said a word. It was an awkward time for Ciel as she did not know what was bothering them.

Mega Man was conflicted and at a lost of words. He was slowly regaining some of his memories as time passed on. During dinner time earlier, Mega retrieved memories that were very dear to him. Just by observing the peace and happiness everyone had, Mega Man remembered his...family.

For one thing, Rokku really reminded the blue bomber of himself. He knows who his creator was and the others he heard through his memories. His creator was Doctor Thomas Light, a revolutionary scientist from the 21st Century, and the one who sparked the creation of Robots and, indirectly, Reploids. He had a sister named Roll and she always showed concern for his brother in the battles against the nemesis who he still can't recall. She even wished that she could be the one to fight in Mega's place. Then there's Auto, a fanboy of Mega Man and a real help all around. He even had a trusty robot dog named Rush, a bird named Beat and a helper named Eddie. They were a big happy family, even when Rock had to become Mega Man because the world needed a hero...

That wasn't the only thing that bothered the boys though. Rokku was beginning to question why he was training like he did. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall.

"Ciel, there's something I want to ask you." Rokku said.

"What is it?"

"Why did... Mega and I train for a week?"

Ciel looked at Rokku with a serious expression. "To stabilize the megamerge form, of course. It was also to see how well you adapt to the form and you have shown great results."

"Yeah, I know that." Rokku replied sheepishly. "But... **why** did we do all that? What was the real point of it all?"

Ciel knew that Rokku was not going to be taken for a fool, and neither was Mega given his expression. Rokku has spent over two weeks in the Sanctuary and he was only recently beginning to questioning things. Almost a month ago, he had left to travel and in a short time he ended up here where he's learning about ancient heroes and megamerging and stuff. There was something more to this and Rokku knew that.

Ciel felt that she was deceiving them both and decided that it was best to explain her motives.

"...When we were upgrading Mega Man with the megamerge ability, he asked that same question." Ciel admitted. "The truth is, I see potential in you Rokku."

"Potential? What kind of potential?" Rokku asked with a brow raised.

"I...I think you could be a hero." She said.

"Me? A hero?" Rokku said, placing his hand on his chest. He sounded like he was in a bit of disbelief, but he would hear Ciel out.

Ciel nodded. "Yes. I asked Mega Man if he was willing to work together with you to become "Mega Man Neo." He happily accepted."

"It's true." Mega Man said, placing an arm on Rokku's shoulder. The boy was a little confused. He was already growing suspicious earlier but now they have grown bigger.

"I think I should fully explain myself..." Ciel said, sighing. She leaned back in her chair, making preparations to tell a story. She opened her eyes, motioning the boys to sit. Rokku sat on a chair while Mega sat on the empty lab table; the same lab table that he awoke on.

"Do you remember when we talked about the Model W?" Ciel asked. The boys nodded, remembering it clearly. "Allow me to expand on that, but first, I'll start from the very beginning."

"Since the 24th Century, when I was 14, I led a military group consisting of Reploids known as the Resistance. I was the only human member. In those times, there was a government city known as Neo Arcadia that executed Reploids for the sake of Humans... But those Reploids were innocent... Very innocent."

"Those poor Reploids..." Rokku said with a sad look.

"I've actually been meaning to ask you, Rokku," Ciel began. "How do you know about these wars? Ancient history such as those is long forgotten by many..."

"My family is very expansive. I have ancestors who lived through the wars to tell the story. My extra-super-great grandfather was one of the survivors of the Elf Wars too..."

"I see," Ciel said, comprehending the knowledge she has now received. "Anyway, we needed help to stop Master X from executing any more Reploids. I believed in a legendary hero that was hidden away. His name was Zero."

"Was Zero the _'legendary reploid with a glowing sword'_ that defeated the leader of Neo Arcadia?" Rokku asked.

Ciel nodded. "Yes. Truth be told, Master X is a replica of Mega Man X, commonly known by Copy X because he's a duplicate."

"Mega Man X?" Mega parroted. He was only guessing, but he assumed that X was his successor that Ciel spoke of before.

"Yes, Mega Man X is your successor I assume." Ciel said. "He was truly an advanced robot who could think and act like us Humans without any function to bound him."

Mega Man thought deeply about this. One of the memories he recalled was Dr. Light speaking about how robots should be able to think and act on their own. Mega Man was one of the few robots with such capabilities since he acted like a human boy. Mega Man was truly advanced himself, and with the recent technology and upgrade, he was now a Reploid himself. Mega Man wondered if X was the robot that Dr. Light was secretly building those many years ago... It's a high probability, but Mega Man never got a chance to at least see his _little brother_.

"So, Zero defeated Copy X in a decisive battle, saving the Reploids. But the War didn't end, no. The battles continued. After Copy X died, a horrid man who orchestrated the Elf Wars, Dr. Weil, took over Neo Arcadia. Do you know what happens next, Rokku?"

He responds with a nod. Ciel decides to explain since Mega Man probably did not know. "With Dr. Weil as ruler of Neo Arcadia, Reploids and Humans were punished if they ever opposed him. He even controlled all of the energy and production going on in the nation."

"I remember my great, great grandfather, Rafale, who said the same thing." Rokku said. "He was a part of the Caravan, a group of Humans who left Neo Arcadia when Weil took over."

Ciel smiled a little. "So, Rafale is your grandfather..." Ciel has met Rafale in the past. He was quite rude at first but that was because of the false lies he's been fed at Neo Arcadia. He wasn't the only one though, lots of Caravan members were quite rude. However, they changed after realizing the truth. Rafale was really a nice guy once you got to know him. "Dr. Weil intended on using a devastating space weapon called Ragnarok to destroy a place known as Area Zero; the crash site of the Space Colony Eurasia which crashed in the 22nd Century. However, Zero traveled into space and defeated Weil but... but at the cost of his own life."

Mega Man still felt unhappy to know that the conflict between Humans and Robots continued even after peace is achieved. But knowing that heroes like X and Zero would rise up to fight off the villains for peace made him more hopeful...Though at the same time, he questions if this cycle of aggression will ever end...

"Zero's sacrifice wasn't in vain, however. I made sure of that." Ciel continued. "For five long years, peace was officially achieved. I thought that the need for the Resistance was no longer required, so we disbanded. Legion, the global government, was established around this time and they really helped during the world's restoration. This peace didn't last too long, unfortunately. Mavericks returned and in greater numbers. We were unprepared for such a horrible raid. Therefore, we quickly created a new organization, The Guardians. Once again, I was the leader of this organization. We were able to fend off the Mavericks for a while, but they kept coming. The problem was, we didn't know where they were coming from. The Mavericks seemed to enjoy blocking the progress we were making..."

Ciel sighed before continuing. She would expand on what she had told the boys previously regarding the Model W. "Eventually, I, along with my Recon Unit, traveled in the Outlands, zones declared dangerous by Legion. We did this so we could find out the source of these mysterious machines. It was then that we stumbled upon the remnants of Ragnarok, fused into a powerful and mysterious Biometal. It's called Model W; named after the man who tried to destroy the world. We took this Biometal and studied it. Some of my crew members complained about headaches. I, along with a few others, didn't seem to have said headaches. Therefore, I continued the research by myself. One of the members was very interested in this Model W fragment, however. Consumed by the power the Model W possessed, our former crew member attacked us. I was given time to escape by my crew who decided to stay back and protect me. I fear that they are gone..."

"As you know, I am responsible for creating six Biometals based on my research on the Model W. I realized how big of a threat the Model W can be, considering it corrupted our former comrade, so I created the six Biometals to counter against it. They have the souls of the six legendary heroes who fought during the Neo Arcadian War and they were willing to pass the baton on to the new generation...

"I later found the Model W Core sometime after that incident and managed to seal it away. The passwords to the seals are given to the Biometals I created in case someone capable of destroying Model W comes around. I also stepped down as the leader, and my second-in-command/pupil took over."

"Why did you step down?" Mega Man asked.

"Because I couldn't handle the madness that was happening. I have already gone through a war once before. My old friend told me that I was not well. He said I was suffering both physically and mentally from the constant stress I accumulated over the years. He told me that I should rest."

"I felt encouragement, though. Therefore, I created a Biometal that was not capable of fighting. The Biometals I created have the ability to prolong life, you see. That is why I created a special Biometal for myself: To prolong my life. I made sure that my pupil did not know where I was. In fact, most of the members of the Guardians have no idea where I went. If anyone found out about my existence then I would be forced to be involved in the wars again... It was time for someone else to take lead...at least for awhile until I believe I am ready..."

"Why are you telling us such dangerous and risky information?" Mega asked. Rokku nodded in agreement.

Ciel smiled. "Because I am trusting you both. I upgraded you and gave Rokku the Combi-Carrier in hopes that you both would become a hero. I feel that you have the power to help those who want the Model W destroyed and use your power for the greater good."

Rokku begins to express sadness. "Even though Zero made the big sacrifice, the world isn't completely peaceful. The Mavericks hurt people and even Legion's Equality Law for Humans caused big crowds of angry people to appear showing their hatred for the human side of the law. I have a dream; A dream where the Equality Laws for the Humans is gone and where people can live without fear of Mavericks..."

Ciel instantly learns that Rokku despises the Equality Law for what it does to Humans. "I see. Do you have robotic implants, Rokku?"

Rokku shakes his head. "No. My family hates the human side of the law. So we use false robotic parts on us as a disguise. I use ears since they are one of the most noticeable features of a Humanoid."

Ciel nods her head. Even though he was breaking the law, he had a good reason to do so. "I hate the law as well." Ciel admitted. This caught Rokku and Mega Man off guard a little. " The law was not properly conceptualized and was rushed. I objected to the law when the Sage Trinity announced it. However, I did not want to cause a scene, especially with the Maverick uprisings around the world. So, I decided not to follow the law. I suppose this Biometal counts as "implants", despite not being integrated into my body. If you want my honest opinion, I only agree with Reploids having life spans."

With so much happening, a hero was needed... Rokku and Mega Man looked at the ground, thinking about the seemingly never-ending violence.

"Mega Man... Rokku... I want to ask you two to do something very important..."

The boys looked at Ciel, giving her their attention.

"I want you to use this power you have to fight against the corrupted... I want you both to work together as one and use your strength to help those who cannot protect themselves... Work with those who want to help this world and promise me that you'll fight for everlasting peace...!"

This was serious. Rokku had thought about the reason he was still merging with Mega Man and practiced fighting, but now he knew why. He was training to become strong enough to fight the Mavericks.

Mega looked at Rokku with a determined and confident smile. He seemed to be on board. Rokku looked back at him, looking quite innocent and slightly conflicted. Just by looking at the ancient hero gave Rokku much needed contemplation. A wise and strong woman with high beliefs is asking a little boy to try and protect the world from those who threaten the planet. To ask a little kid to perform such a difficult task was pretty bold. Rokku stared at the ground, thinking deeply about his decision. With this power, Rokku could protect not only himself but those in need. He has always tried to help those who needed it because his mother taught him to be helpful to those in need. His father also taught him to be strong and courageous against the enemy, or in this case, the Mavericks. He already practiced not too long ago and he was already getting the hang of utilizing Mega Man as his aegis. He could get used to being Mega Man Neo, an ancient hero reborn. The title is pretty powerful and the fact that it belonged to a child and the ancient robot with the face of a 10-year old boy made it all the more impressive.

With the power of Mega Man Neo, he could get rid of the evil on Earth and possibly even achieve his dream of a peaceful world where humans and machine can truly get along without conflict. The world could be just as it was in the 21st Century where the two beings got along well with little conflict. It could even be like how it was even before the robots got introduced to the world except reploids would act peacefully. His family wouldn't have to live knowing that they are breaking the law. He could make sure no one gets hurt because of the Mavericks. He could do it with the power of the ancient hero, Mega Man.

He was given this power and now he had a choice to utilize it.

Rokku looked at Ciel, determination filled in his eyes. He wanted to achieve his dream so badly and he would use this power to make it a reality.

"Alright! The world now has a new hero to join the fight!"

Ciel began to smile, tears nearly slipping out of her eyes.

"I always felt scared whenever I encountered a Maverick... Even though I wanted to help those who needed a hero, I always felt scared... Now, I am given the opportunity to use this power to help those in need...! I feel like the luckiest person in the world for having the ancient hero of the 21st Century be my friend and partner! With this power, I will fight to prove that peace isn't a fantasy! I promise you...!"

Mega Man stood on his feet and held onto Rokku's shoulder. Smiling at Ciel, he says, "We'll work hard to make sure the enemy is vanquished! I may not enjoy fighting, but I will fight alongside Rokku because I have to! Besides, I was built to help people and I won't stand by and let others get hurt! I remember something that my...Dad once told me: _Sometimes, peace cannot be achieved unless those who spread war are destroyed._ With these words roaming through my memories, I will make sure this Model W is gone. Rokku and I will work together to make sure that humans and robots live together in harmony and equality!"

Ciel couldn't help but shed small tears, bowing down her head and smile on her face. A young boy was willing to go on a dangerous road just to make sure his wish comes true. He's willing to take on the burden of a hero, just to see his dreams through. Somehow, Rokku and Mega's acceptance reminded her of Zero, the reploid she had come to care for deeply. He fought only for those he believed in. His speech before his death touched her. His final words further touched her. Zero wanted Ciel to believe in her. After his death, Ciel promised to make the world a better place where humans and reploids walk hand in hand in peace. Unfortunately, the soul of Weil has created the Model W and is creating more Mavericks to terrorize the residents of Earth.

She has lived through Earth's reconstruction and has seen the peace that humans and reploids were making thanks to not only Zero's efforts but Ciel's and the Resistance's efforts... But because of the W Core, it took away many things from her and the people continue to live in fear.

She has an idea where two of the Biometals that she created are, but she has no idea where the others are at...

Ciel did not foresee the return of 21st Century hero Rock Light / Mega Man. Whoever rebuilt him had an idea of what to do with Mega Man. The mysterious person responsible clearly wanted Mega Man to have similar properties to Biometal which was why he was able to fuse with young child Rokku. Knowing that this boy was willing to put his life on the line for others was a glimmer of hope for Ciel's dream world. Mega Man Neo would use his power for the greater good and help those in need...

* * *

 **July 15, 25XX**

Two days after Rokku and Mega Man made their ultimate promise to Ciel, they continued to train just a little while longer. After staying at the sanctuary for nearly two weeks, Rokku and Mega Man made preparations to leave the residence. After all, Rokku was still an adventurer. Mega Man, having made their friendship and partnership official, tags along with Rokku. Besides, what better opportunity to see the world with someone who's doing just that?

It was morning time. Rokku and Mega were standing in the entryway outside with Dr. Ciel. Rokku held onto his backpack with both hands gripping tight on the straps. He had a childish, yet determined smile. Mega Man was in civilian form like has for most of his time in The Sanctuary.

"I appreciate all of the help you did Rokku." Ciel said. "I know you can't stay forever."

"Of course not~!" Rokku said with a grin. "My adventuring days aren't over yet! I also got a world to protect~!"

"I really have to thank you for bringing me back to life Dr. Ciel." Mega Man said, bowing down in respect.

"You are welcome, Mega Man." Ciel replies with a smile. "Before you depart, I have one last gift to give you both."

Reaching into her lab coat, she pulled out a strange looking red fragment of some sort.

"This once belonged to someone special to me..." Ciel said somberly. "It was a _part_ of him..."

Rokku takes the fragment and observes it for a moment. He suddenly yelps in surprise when the fragment starts shining blue. It then started to... be _absorbed_ into Rokku's hand! The fragment within his hand still was shining. The tiny light started going to the Combi-Carrier on Rokku's hand, making it appear that the fragment inside his hand was moving. Once it arrived at the device, the Combi-Carrier had a blue aura surrounding it and a tiny light evolves bigger. Finally, the light stopped, leaving Rokku and Mega Man confused as to what had just happened; though the former was more startled.

"I kept that for so long..." Ciel continued, smiling sadly. "...And I think you should now inherit some of his power."

Rokku and Mega Man were startled still, but they were curious as to who this ' _him_ ' that Ciel was referring to.

Mega Man, after thinking a little, may have thought the person Ciel was mentioned was perhaps the legendary hero who saved the world two centuries ago...

 ** _Zero..._**

Mega's assumptions proved to be correct as Ciel continued further with her explanations.

"As Mega Man Neo, your armor is very strong. I made sure that the Combi-Carrier along with Mega Man was made of the toughest material around. It is stronger than Ceratanium. However, don't think you are invincible."

"The fragment I gave you just fused into your Combi-Carrier. When you megamerge in the future, I assure you that you'll feel more powerful than now. It should also aid you when you are in a bind."

Rokku and Mega Man looked at each other. A piece of Zero, the legendary reploid, was now a part of them. It felt pretty special to have such an ancient warrior's power be used for good. It's was as if a part of his soul was with them...

"I must ask you both not to reveal my whereabouts." Ciel instructed with a stern look. "I also ask that you both do not return here unless it's an absolute emergency."

Ciel sighed. "I do not mean to sound rude but, it's just for safety. Surely you understand..."

Rokku looks at Ciel, walks to her and hugs her tight. Ciel was caught off guard. His cheek was buried against her as he expressed a sad yet happy smile.

"I getcha~! Thank you, Ciel~!" Rokku said. "Thank you for everything that you've down for me and Mega...!"

Mega Man joins the hug, hugging her waist. "I can't stop thanking you for bringing me back to life...! Because of you, I'm able to keep helping people, together with a new friend...!

Ciel blushes, her face feeling all warm and fuzzy. She smiles as her blush shimmers down, returning the hug. "You are very welcome...Rokku...Mega..."

And that was that. Rokku and Mega Man had left The Sanctuary, happily waving to Dr. Ciel as they walked off to begin a new journey. Although they were sad to leave The Sanctuary and the residents of that location, they swore that they would visit again once the world was completely safe again from Mavericks...


	6. Chapter 5: Repelling the Mavericks!

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 5 - Repelling the Mavericks!

* * *

 **July 16, 25XX** After departing from The Sanctuary, Rokku and Mega Man (who's still in his civilian form) decided to head to Kairos City to begin their new journey together. Lucky for them that no Mavericks lurked around; or rather, the boys were lucky that they hadn't run into a Maverick yet. Many have said that the Enstratos region, the _country_ the boys are currently residing at, is one of the safest regions in the entire world. It's all thanks to Unity. Unity provided the best security force available. Their technology rivaled that of Slither Inc. since they have obtained ancient technology believed to be from the Neo Arcadia War; A war that has been long forgotten by most. Nonetheless, the boys got to know one another as they walked to Kairos City. They did have to spend the night outside since they traveled from the Sanctuary all the way back to where Rokku first found Mega, but eventually they got on the path leading towards their destination.

While Vivant City is _one_ of the biggest cities in Europe, Kairos City was _the_ largest city in the continent. Fitting given that this is where the leader of Unity, Magne, resides. Magne is a war hero from a century ago. He was one of the few people to fight against the sudden resurfacing of Mavericks after the Neo Arcadian War. His solid military tactics and polite demeanor earned respect from the people. He was also a strong and strategical fighter on the battlefield. However, those days of him fighting are quite over. Instead of living the military life, he decided to use his knowledgeable mind to live the political life as the leader of Unity and, by default, Europe. His rule has never been questioned as he paid attention to people's opinions and has always considered them. He is truly a kind and compassionate man with a warrior's soul, trying his best to make sure the people are safe from Mavericks. However, he's not the type to say yes to everything and he's not the perfect leader, but the residents love him.

During his time fighting against the Mavericks, he formed a group called the **_Milos Defense Force_** ; or simply the **_Milos Force_**. He was previously leader of the military, but he stepped down to become the leader of Unity. He was succeeded by an old friend of his named Markos Payne.

Just like the Sage Trinity of Legion, Magne is still alive thanks to modern technology. However, unlike the Sage Trinity who use mechanical bodies to keep living, Magne makes use of _**Nanorobotics**_ to prolong his life.

 ** _Nanomachines_** have been worked on before but they weren't utilized very much, if at all. However, because of brilliant scientists and both ancient and modern technology of 25XX, Nanomachines were more important now than they have ever been. Many years ago, Magne made the ultimate risk of using his own body for the Nanorobotic Experiment. Obviously, it was a success and Magne was heavily improved. Chips were integrated in many parts of Magne's body to provide him with extra strength and endurance. In fact, he doesn't seem to age, just like the Sage Trinity (Aside from Master Mikhail, who had possibly received his mechanical body when he was old, which may be why he looks older compared to Master Thomas and Albert). However, during the attacks, Magne had received fatal wounds and requested to change himself into a cyborg (or "Humanoid") in order to keep fighting. The Nanomachines were around to extend his lifespan and provide him with immense strength.

The people of Europe greatly praise and respect Magne as their leader, as he's provided so much to the people, not showing any signs of deceit.

Rokku and Mega's long journey paid off. They finally made it to Kairos City. Approaching the entryway, Rokku needed something in order to get into the city. In order to gain access to these European Cities, an ID Card is required. Of course, the ID Card should have user's information on said card. Fortunately, Rokku had an _Authorization Card_. This special card belongs to Rokku's family and could bypass this entryway. Plus, the Authorization Card allowed the user to have up to two people tag along with him or her. Even though Mega Man didn't have any type of card, due to just being reborn and is just getting to know the world, he could still tag along with Rokku due to his Authorization Card which was a highly rare and respectable item to possess.

Neo Giga City was your typical futuristic type of city. Kairos City also shared this theme, but with themes also resembling southwestern France back in 20XX.

Upon gaining access to the city, Rokku and Mega Man got comfortable in the serenity the place had. However, after spending merely 10 minutes into the city just walking around, Mega Man had a new plan.

"We're doing what?"

Rokku stared at Mega Man with puzzled eyes. They both were standing nearby a bookstore. Mega Man had his fists on his hips, looking at Rokku who was, for your information, taller than him by a couple of inches.

"We're going to do a little exercise." Mega Man repeated. He began to wave his finger in an instructing manner. "I can't exactly move your body around when we are Mega Man Neo. You may be adapting fast to our new form, but I can't have you slack off. The only true fight we had was the day were truly merged and even then our victory was by luck."

"Luck? Are you sure?" Rokku asked, rubbing his hair. "I honestly think it was because of our skills~!"

"That's partly true." Mega replied, folding his arms. "But I found a few opportunities where you were left wide open in the fight. Our week of training got you to improve your fighting capabilities, but we have a long way to go before we are able to be in complete sync with each other."

"We are going to jog around this city to make sure you don't get exhausted easily."

Rokku moaned aloud, slouching lazily. "Aww... That doesn't sound very fun."

Mega Man rolled his eyes. "You told me that you like to run and do parkour as a way of exercise. How is this not fun to you?"

"Well, we _did_ walk all the way from you-know-who's place to Kairos City. That was a pretty long walk, you know." Rokku explained. He had purposefully kept Ciel's name from being spoken aloud; even when it feels like they are safe enough to speak of her.

"True..." Mega said, realizing that they did have a long walk. "Okay, how about we just go for a quick jog? You know, just to keep ourselves energized?"

"Hmm... If I go along with the exercise, does that mean you'll be with me?" Rokku asked.

"Of course. I have to be your coach and make sure you don't slack off." Mega Man said with a smirk.

"H-Hey! I'm not a slacker!" He whined, letting out his inner child with his protest.

Mega Man shrugged his shoulders, smiling. "If you are not a slacker, then you will do this exercise without question. Let us get prepared!"

* * *

Rokku had his skin-tight black T-Shirt on, as well as black shorts, and black boots highly resembling Mega Man's. He also had a black headband that looked like a ninja's. It seems that Rokku likes black... Back on track, Rokku had these clothes in his backpack, save for the "ninja headband" which he found by the bookstore he was previously at 5 minutes ago. The boots, on the other hand, were found by a woman at the same book store who gave him these "jogging boots", free of charge. She claims that she overheard Mega Man talking about having to get Rokku to exercise which is why she gave him the jogging boots. The boys were lucky she didn't hear them talk about "being in sync" or "Mavericks".

Rokku had some long white socks on and the top area was curled to look like cuffs. He also didn't have on his black fingerless gloves, which would've fit perfectly with his all-black theme. Instead, he had black wristbands. He also had his backpack on his back; something he doesn't really leave behind no matter where he goes.

Oddly enough, Rokku chose the wrong day to wear all black (aside from his backpack) with this weather. Mega Man still had on the same clothes that he had since his rebirth. It was funny enough that Rokku and Mega Man looked similar in appearance, but their clothing choice even further supported their resemblance. The only difference is that Mega did not have a "ninja headband" nor any wristbands. And, need I point this out, cloth color differences. Also, their hair looks slightly similar... Okay, pretty similar.

Mega Man began to jog in place, pumping Rokku up.

"Alright! Are you ready Rokku?!" Mega Man called out.

Rokku nodded and began to jog in place too. "Ready!"

Mega got into position. "LET'S GO!"

Mega Man took off running, Rokku following close behind. Mega Man made extra sure that he didn't run too fast, keeping in mind that Rokku was a Human; Not a Reploid or a Humanoid. Rokku ran alongside Mega, huffing and puffing to keep up the pace. The two crossed multiple streets and turned on many blocks. They didn't exactly have a destination but they were going to keep jogging until Mega declared that it was time to stop. Fortunately for Mega, Rokku had forgotten about the time they had spent. This meant Mega could get Rokku to jog for as long as necessary.

The boys jogged around the city, getting a glimpse of the scenery on the go. Their jog led them to a park that has a large lake; a lake rumored to have survived even during the Elf Wars. It's sparkling beauty felt warm and gentle like the sun on the horizon. Other joggers passed by the duo as they jogged, but it seemed like they were running more than jogging.

"Hey Mega, not that this isn't fun or anything," Rokku began, keeping up with his Reploid partner. "But can we take a _tiny_ break? I'm getting thirsty."

Mega Man turned back to his friend and nodded happily. "Sure, there's a water fountain up ahead anyway."

The boys stopped at the silver colored water fountain. Without hesitation, Rokku pressed the button on the fountain and began to sip on the rising drinkable water. While the human boy drank up, Mega took this time to observe the scenery. A few boats were out on the lake, there were buildings that highly resembled that of France, and a few citizens walking alongside pet dogs. Some dogs even had a Reploid symbol on their foreheads, which made Mega Man think about his robot pet dog, Rush. This single thought about his pet made him think about his past, which he couldn't remember completely. Fragments were still pouring into his memory bank, albeit slowly.

He shook his head to shake off his thoughts and continued to look at the environment around him. It was really serene. The blue bomber was surprised by how the Earth managed to survive so many wars, yet humanity still knew how to be happy. From what Dr. Ciel and other Resistance Members told him, the political Reploids always looked down on humans. It made him question why they do such a thing when humans aren't bad creatures. Sure, they made mistakes, everyone does. They were responsible for creating Reploids and the old model robots of the past. Mega Man believed that while humans of the past lacked the physical qualities of a Reploid, such as defense and strength, they had something that Reploids didn't. Even when Humans of the 26th Century have robotic implants, the Humans still had something Reploids lacked. Both species lacked a quality that the other had.

"Hey Mega, you ready?!" Rokku asked. The sound of his partner's voice surprised the Reploid, causing him to jump. Rokku noticed this and chuckled.

"Sorry! Did I spook ya?" Rokku asked with a chuckle and a cheeky grin.

Mega shared the chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, you did, but it's okay though."

Rokku smiled. "Wow, I scared a Reploid! I can't even scare _Mom_ when I want to!"

Mega raised a brow. "Why would you want to scare your Mom?"

"Oh don't worry! They are just harmless little scares like poking her back when she thinks she's by herself and stuff like that...!" Rokku explained. Basically, he liked to "surprise" his mother. "Um, a-anyway! Let's get back to joggin'!"

Rokku started to run ahead of Mega Man, but he was not careful and had collided with a citizen, knocking them both down. Rokku rubbed his head as Mega Man approached him.

"Rokku! You should watch where you are going!" He scolded.

Rokku opened his eyes to see who he had bumped into. It was a girl that looked like she was around his age, with long, very light blonde hair tied up into twin, thick ponytails behind her head. Part of her bangs was pointing upward like spikes while the other bangs were downward like normal. She had long, thick strings of hair in front of her ears that reached to her chin. Her eyes were hazel colored. She had white, blocky reploid ears, confirming that she was humanoid.

She wore a black bodysuit that had short leggings and sleeves, allowing it reveal her pale white complexion. She wore a short, pink skin-tight tank top that did not reach to her waist (it was quite short). Over that tank top, the girl wore a white short sleeved (non-transparent) bolero jacket with a black company logo on it, the logo resembling an angel's wing with a ring above it. She had on white gloves. She had a black string wrapped around her right arm with a blue diamond shaped crystal attached to the string.

She had long blue jeans with what appears to have four pockets (plus two pockets near the ankles). She also had red shoes that resembled converse shoes. A black sash was wrapped around her left leg.

Beside the girl appeared to be an orange handbag with the same company logo on it, black shades with gray edges, and white baseball cap lying on the ground.

The girl rubbed her head and stared at the boy who had knocked her to the ground. Rokku immediately hopped on his feet and went to the girl to apologize.

"O-Oh gee, I'm so sorry!" Rokku apologized, grabbed the girl's arm with his two hands. Once she stood on her two feet, she angrily withdrew her hand away from Rokku's.

"Please excuse my friend here," Mega said, glaring at Rokku. "He's just hyperactive is all."

The girl grabbed her handbag and wrapped it around her shoulder. She proceeded to grab her shades and hat as well.

"It's fine, really." The girl said, sounding exasperated. Placing the shades on her eyes and hat on her head, she began to walk ahead. "Just watch where you are going next time."

Rokku ran beside the girl, feeling that he didn't apologize enough.

"Please don't be mad at me." Rokku said. "I didn't mean to, really!"

The girl stopped and glared at Rokku through her shades. Even through those shades, Rokku could see the girl's hazel-colored eyes looking irritated.

"I said it was _fine_." She repeated. "I'm already behind schedule, so do us both a favor and leave me alone."

She departed with a huff, walking much faster than before. Mega walked beside Rokku, observing his friend's sad look.

"Don't worry, Rokku." Mega assured. "You apologized enough."

Rokku sighed. He wanted to show the girl that he was really sorry, but she didn't seem very interested. If by any chance he sees her again, he would love to prove that he was sorry by doing something for her. Maybe Mega was right. Maybe he was thinking about this a little too much. He apologized twice and that's enough. Rokku shook his head and dismissed his thoughts.

"I guess." Rokku answered. He then returned to his cheery self and slapped his friend on the shoulder. "Anyway, let's get moving!"

Mega nodded and ran ahead, catching the human off guard. Grinning he followed the Reploid through the path. The boys passed by the girl Rokku bumped into earlier. She watched as the boys ran fast, looking close at Rokku. She thought about how she treated him despite his attempts to apologize to her. Perhaps she was too harsh towards him.

She sighed and walked forward, shaking the thoughts off.

"...That boy..." She muttered under her breath.

* * *

The boys made it into the east side of the city, the amounts of actual roads decreasing. The two jogged for 34 minutes and Rokku beginning to get a little tired. He was dragging just a little behind Mega Man who was jogging at the same pace as he did the whole time.

" _Hahhh_...Mega...! Can we stop now?" Rokku asked, looking a little burnt.

"What? We haven't even reached the second hour!" Mega teased.

"But we've been running for _so_ long...!" Rokku whined. "I'm getting hungry too...!"

Mega stopped and turned around to face Rokku. The tall one stopped and placed his hands on his knees, panting heavily.

"Okay, fine. We didn't even reach the second hour, but I have to say you held on longer than I thought!" Mega complimented, clapping for his partner.

Rokku gave a thumbs up and a tired smile. "Y-Yeah, ehehe... I usually do quick parkour when I can but I don't do it for this long..."

Mega Man folded his arms. "Regardless, you did a good job. I'll give you... a B+ for effort!"

Rokku shot a dumbfounded glare at Mega. "A _B+_?"

"I docked points because you didn't look where you are going." Mega said. He was saying both to tease and also to be serious. "If you're running like that, then you got to look out for your surroundings."

"You deserve some lunch, so let's go get some food, okay?"

"Good..." Rokku slouched, sighing heavily and purposely loud. He then shot upwards, pointing his head at the sky. "...But first, I need to put on my regular clothes!"

Mega chuckled at his friend. "Sure thing."

* * *

Once Rokku got on his regular clothing, he took Mega to a food place known as " _Sublime Diner_ "; a place not too far from where they stopped jogging. The young boy bought himself a four chili dogs, a cup of orange juice, and a salad (along with some napkins). Mega insisted that he didn't need anything to eat, but Rokku was persistent. Besides, the kid had an irregular amount of cash in his pocket. Defeated, Mega chose to eat a plain sandwich with mayo, cheddar cheese and sliced ham meat, as well as a strawberry sundae for his beverage. Admittedly, Rokku envied the blue bomber since he chose juice. One might ask why doesn't Rokku buy himself a sundae, and the answer would be because Rokku doesn't want to have two beverages after exercising for so long.

The boys sat outside the restaurant on black chairs. Rokku effortlessly shoved a chili dog down his throat, enjoying the taste of the lunch. Behind them, a few miles away, lied a large castle. This was **Ultime** , the home of Magne. It may look slightly recent, but in truth, it is very ancient. Like other artifacts and establishments, this building has been around even during the Elf Wars. However, after the Elf Wars, this building was heavily damaged but still stood. After the Neo Arcadian Wars, this castle was updated for Magne to live. It's also home to the security force of Kairos City. The Security Force comprises of entirely humans, primarily due to the possibility of machines going Maverick. Even though the Maverick Virus was long gone, the wild Mavericks that attack have made people fear that the machines will do the same. The security force has done an excellent job protecting the city. However, this city has barely been a target for the Mavericks, allowing the citizens to live in peace and tranquility.

At the black table, Rokku peeked over at Mega's food to see that the Reploid was just staring at his sandwich and beverage.

"Aren't you going to eat, Mega?" Rokku asked.

Mega looked at Rokku with a small smile. _"He did buy this for me, even when I didn't want anything. I can't waste this food."_

Mega grabbed onto the sandwich and, albeit hesitantly, took a small bite off the sandwich. His eyes shrunk in shock.

" _W-Whoa..!_ " Mega whispered in awe. "This... This _actually_ tastes pretty good...!"

Rokku smiled happily, glad that his friend enjoyed his food. "Ehehe! I knew you'd like it!"

Mega shoved the entire sandwich down his throat, enjoying the taste of the sandwich. The food dissolved into energy for the Reploid, refilling him in the most satisfying way. Mega chuckled happily. "Oh man, who would've thought that I would have taste developed...! I suppose being upgraded to a full-fledged Reploid has its perks! Do _all_ Reploids have taste buds developed within them!?"

Rokku chuckled nervously, unsure of how he was supposed to answer this professionally. "Um, I don't think _every_ Reploid has taste buds, but you do obviously!"

"Yes, yes," Mega said, glaring at his sundae drink. "That sandwich was converted into energy for me! I feel _refreshed_! I wonder what this sundae tastes like!? I bet it tastes even better!"

Immediately, Mega grabbed the bottle and placed his mouth on the straw. Like all Reploids, Mega could inhale, exhale, suck, and do almost everything a human can. There's a reason they're called "Reploids".? Anyway, Mega sucked down the sundae completely, grinning in awe.

"W-Wow...! This sundae... It tastes _so_ much better...! Is this why kids love desserts?!"

"You bet!" Rokku answered, still envying the empty sundae bottle (save for the actual strawberry that lied at the bottom).

"This beverage... It felt like I drank an Energy Tank!" Mega exclaimed. "This is amazing...! Robots have really evolved haven't they!?"

Rokku nodded. "Yeah, they sure have! Reploids are closer to Humans than ever before!"

"Wow..." Mega muttered, lying peacefully in his chair.

"Wait, what's an Energy Tank?" Rokku asked, having caught what Mega had mentioned seconds earlier.

Mega had a confused look. That look changed to normal when he realized that One, Rokku was a human being (and as such probably has no knowledge of the item), and Two, Mega was from the 21st Century and E-Tanks have long since disappeared. Little did he know that E-Tanks do in fact still exist, although there is a very limited supply. Only a few have gotten their hands on it. Now people use Sub-Tanks. They've used them since the 22nd Century in fact. It pretty much replaced the E-Tanks since Sub-Tanks were much easier to create and use.

"Energy Tanks are... or _were_ items that would refill my energy completely, putting me in tip-top condition." Mega explained. "From what I recall, those handy beverages were very handy in my battles back then. I think I had to use one against _some large blue robot that seemed pretty heavy_..."

"Ooooh, I wonder if it tasted any good!" Rokku said. If he had a couple of Energy Tanks, he would be to be ready to go any day! He could be even more reckless and just drink an that beverage to heal himself! It would be awesome! Of course, it's not okay to be so reckless.

"Well, for Robots yes, but I wouldn't say the same for Humans." Mega said with an anxious chuckle. "Some Energy Tanks contained simulated solar power and that's not exactly good for humans. Other E-Tanks had some special green liquid inside the cans which, again, only Robots could drink."

Rokku slouched disappointed by this new knowledge. "Oh... _Bummer_. That stuff sounds really useful..."

Mega chuckled again. "Who knows? Maybe since the majority of Humans are _Humanoids_ now, I think they could drink Energy Tanks without worry."

Rokku sighed. "Yeah, but I don't think changing my humanity is worth it."

Once again, Mega was reminded of Rokku's hatred of the law. The Reploid wanted to avoid the topic since it seemed to either upset him or get him down. Mega is a Robot, not a Human, so he can't fully sympathize with Rokku on his feelings towards the equality law. At some point, Mega wanted some more answers on why Rokku hated this law since there was clearly more to his reasoning. All he knows is that the majority of his family is hiding their true identities, he dislikes the law because it changes humanity, and it just isn't right to force others to change. Of course, considering they were out in public, he shouldn't ask about this now. Therefore, it was time to steer the conversation somewhere else.

"So, Rokku," Mega began to catch his friend's attention. "How much do you know about Kairos City?"

Rokku stared confusingly at Mega. "Huh?"

"I mean, you're an adventurer right?" Mega asked. "You must have some type of knowledge about this city, don't you?"

"Actually, this is my first time coming to Kairos City. I only started my adventure recently." Rokku admitted. "But, I do know that Kairos City has a pretty cool leader named Magma! W-Wait, I mean, Magne, that's right!"

"Magne, huh? What's he famous for?" Mega asked.

"I heard that he fought a thousand Mavericks by himself!... But Mom says that's not _entirely_ true... He did fight a thousand though, but with other people helping!" Rokku said. "I think Dad said that Magne fought for his country or something like that. People really trust him and he's really nice from what I hear!"

"He sounds pretty interesting," Mega said. "I would like to meet him, but I doubt it'd be easy for a stranger just to stroll into his office just to greet him! Actually, where does Magne stay at anyway?"

Rokku turned his torso around and pointed at the large, brown castle. It looked ancient yet modern, judging by the shiny parts of the structure which many presume to be a tough metal alloy.

"That's Utltime, the largest and oldest castle that's ever lived!" Rokku presented. "Mom says that Ultime has been around since the Elf Wars! Pretty cool, huh?"

Mega nodded. "No argument there. It looks pretty nice, especially with the big trees around it and the large clock tower."

Mega turned to Rokku, getting off his seat. "So, you want to go check it out?"

Rokku nodded eagerly, hopping off his chair. "Oh yeah~!"

Suddenly, a loud audible scream was heard not too far from the boys stood. The scream was immediately followed by laser gunshots and explosions. Rokku and Mega ducked cover, noticing the Humans, Humanoids, and Reploids running for their lives away from where the explosion came from. The screams were getting louder and more explosions occurred, getting closer to the boys with each passing second.

"What's going on!?" Rokku cried, looking a little shaken by the terrifying screams of the citizens.

"I don't know!" Mega answered. "But we are going to find out! Come on!"

Mega got up and ran towards the source of the explosions, Rokku hesitantly following close behind. Running around the restaurant building, the boys stopped and stared in awe as they saw a building explode and quickly collapse. The citizens who were around the building were able to escape the crumbling structure, fortunately, but that wasn't the end of it all. Down the street, the boys noticed Galleon Hunters patrolling along the black cement grounds, Busters prepared to fire at will. There were dozens in an organized line strolling about as more explosions occurred.

"Mavericks!" Rokku exclaimed.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Mega cried in fury. "Of all days that the Mavericks attack this wonderful city, they choose _now_!"

"A-At least _we're_ here in the city at the right time...!" Rokku said, putting on his brave face. "We can fight these losers and protect everyone!"

Mega nodded, a confident smile forming. "I follow you! Let's do it!"

Rokku clenched his fists together and started running ahead towards where the Galleons were.

" _ **Megamerge!**_ " He yelled, the screen shining brightly. Mega Man quickly converted in program data and entered the Combi-Carrier, attaching armor pieces onto the human boy. In an instant, Mega Man Neo had arrived on the scene.

Without warning, a row of Galleon Hunters was destroyed by a single Charged Shot from the Mega-Buster.

"Alright, you buckets of bolts," Mega Man Neo exclaimed. "If you want to avoid an embarrassing beat down, you better give up now!"

As expected, the Galleons did not do that. Instead, the foot soldiers pointed their Busters and opened fire on the hero. Neo shielded himself with his hands, taking little damage from the blasts. It appeared that the majority of the shots were clearly missing him.

"I don't think surrendering is within their programming parameters, Rokku." Mega said, unfazed by the swarm of energy bullets heading their way.

"I honestly hoped that they'd give up," Neo admitted. "But I should've known better. Dad told me that the Mavericks were like Monsters in a fantasy world. Like Monsters, they don't know the meaning of 'give up'!"

Neo prepared a Mega-Buster and fired back, using his free hand to shield himself as he did so. One by one, the Galleons were shot down. He frowned as he shot at them, "If they weren't the bad guys, I'd praise them for being persistent."

"You shouldn't _really_ praise a bad guy anyway..." Mega scolded.

At last, the Galleons were down for the count. That wasn't it though.

More citizens were running for explosions that were coming from the direction the now destroyed Galleons were marching from. Mega Man Neo took off in that direction, building up some speed to hurry up. A few citizens screamed at Neo, ducking away or just running off. He didn't notice their reactions though, for his focus was on the Mavericks in the area. The straight path wasn't so straight anymore as a building was in front of him now. Two mature looking teens, a boy and a girl, appeared from the other block, running from Galleons that were pursuing them from afar. Suddenly, the building behind them exploded and began to collapse. The boy began to pick up speed, leaving the girl behind slightly.

They noticed Neo approaching them, and they shrieked in fear. Turning back, they realized the building was about to bury them. The girl tripped over the debris, hitting her cheek against the concrete. Mega Man Neo rushed towards the teens, scooping up the boy with his left hand and picking up the girl with his right. Holding them by their waists, Neo jumped towards the building on his right, landing on the rooftops. The building collapsed right where the boy and girl would've been buried. The Galleons that were following the teens took their place, fortunately. Mega Man Neo looked at the boy and girl and smiled.

"Are you okay?" Neo asked. Before he could get a response, the boy suddenly shoved him away from the both of them.

"Back off!" The boy demanded, holding onto the girl. "You're with them, aren't you!?"

"What?! No! I'm not-"

Before Neo could finish, the girl interrupted him. She angrily looked at the boy, retracting her arm.

"He can't be with the Mavericks! He just saved us! He... saved _me_..." She said, swelling up. "I saw my life flash before my eyes..."

The boy calmed down, trying to warm up to the girl. The girl nodded, assuring that she was fine.

"T-Thank you, sir..." The girl said, smiling sadly.

"If you aren't with the Mavericks, then _who_ are you?" The boy asked.

Neo grinned heroically, giving a peace sign. This was just like how it was in the comics! The hero saves an innocent or two and he/she asks the hero's name! This was his chance! The innocent people will know his name now!

"I'm just an adventurer who helps those in need! Your friendly neighborhood-"

" _There's no time for that now...!_ " Mega whispered telepathically. Neo flinched in surprise, much to the confusion of the rescued teenagers. Neo was unaware that they could speak telepathically. He would not ask about that now, though, for he needed to give the citizens a heroic name!

" _But they are waiting for me to tell them my name...! I can't tell them I'm Rokku and I definitely can't tell them I'm Mega Man Neo!_ "

" _True... My name is kinda dangerous nowadays... Alright, here's a name you can give them..._ "

Neo listened to the suggestion his partner gave him and after a moment of silence, the hero answered them. "I'm the... Uh, Blue Bomber...!"

" _The_ _Blue Bomber_?" The boy commented suspiciously.

"Yeah." Neo awkwardly answered.

"Nevertheless, you have my gratitude." The girl said with a small pink blush. She walked to him and placed a small peck on his cheek. Rokku touched his cheek, confused about how the girl was able to bypass his invisible shield that covered his facial area. Now, he knew that he could get sucker punched through the shield if he encounters a tough enemy... Or maybe the shield was on his skin and the shield would absorb the hits... He would learn this soon enough.

The boy cringed in shock as the girl had just kissed the hero. Surprisingly, Mega Man Neo stood there, touching his cheek. According to the girl, he had this cute expression that showed how confused he was. He blushed pink, noting that it felt nice... However, he had no idea what it meant. His Mother does a similar thing and he was told it was a sign of _motherly love_ , but this girl was a stranger, not his mother. It's "unfortunate" that the heroic teen had no idea about romance or _anything_ relating to love... The moment was shattered when another explosion sounded 30 feet east of where they stood. The hero immediately grabbed the teens and hopped off the rooftop to safety on the ground. Mega Man Neo released the teens and stood combat ready.

"Listen, I still got to fight these Mavericks. How about you guys head off to somewhere safe?" Neo requested.

The girl nodded.

"Thanks for the save, but don't worry about us now!" The boy said sternly. "Other people need you!"

Neo nodded. "I got this! Stay safe!"

With that, Mega Man Neo jumped onto the rooftops again and darted towards the series of explosions. The boy and girl took off to take cover, hoping that the "Blue Bomber" really had this covered.

Mega Man Neo slowed down at the edge of the rooftops to find more Galleons. From the skies, a large _King Flyer_ , a giant fly mechaniloid, raced across the horizon, followed by five smaller dragonfly mechaniloids called _Mechadragons_. The King Flyer was dropping bombs and shooting lasers, which explained how explosions occurred; especially towards the building that almost crushed those two teenagers he saved. It surprised Rokku that there was a King Flyer in the Enstratos Region, let alone Europe, since not many King Flyers exist, especially due to the fact that they were put into production only three months ago. Fortunately, only one was around, but that didn't change the fact that it was bombing Kairos City.

Also in the skies were _Cutter Gyros_ , _Galleon Wings_ led by the _Deluxe Galleon Wing_ , and six more Mechadragons that were falling behind the King Flyer.

On the ground, more citizens were running away, hoping to evade the Galleon Foot Soldiers such as Hunter and Assault types. Many of the Galleons were on motorcycles and they were appropriately the Rider Types. In this particular area, they seemed to be led by a new Galleon that looked unusual but tough. Typically, it was larger than the other Galleon grunts, it was coated in purple and white, had a large yellow shield with red edges in its right hand and a large flail hammer on it's left.

A loud speakerphone was heard through the area, the voice sounding masculine.

 _ **"All residents of Kairos City, please head towards the safe zone immediately! This is not a drill! I repeat, all residents of Kairos City, please head towards the safe zone immediately! This is not a drill!"**_

Mega Man Neo shook his head in disbelief.

"This is bad." Mega Man Neo dramatically stated, shaken by the chaos and screams of the innocent.

"Don't worry!" Mega said. "We can do this! These guys are small fries compared to other Mavericks like Dogu the Giant! We can easily take them all on if we are focused on the task at hand!"

Neo nodded in agreement. "Okay, I think I'll go after the Galleons on the streets first."

With his decision made clear, Mega Man Neo jumped and landed on the ground, catching the attention of the Galleons. Neo ran towards the larger Galleon. From within the Combi-Carrier, Mega dubs this foot soldier the _Galleon Hammer_ , reminiscent of the _Pantheon Hammer_ of 23XX. Aside from the head and a few body structures, it was almost the same.

The Galleon Hammer tossed it's flail hammer and Neo, but he effortlessly dodged it, whipping out his Mega-Knuckle weapons. He jumped and threw a punch towards the Maverick, but the shield prevented him from actually landing a direct hit. However, Neo's punch had made a dent in the shield which surprised even the Galleon Hammer. With this knowledge, Neo proceeded to finish off the Galleon Hammer. While Mega-Knuckle mode was still equipped, he grabbed the chains of the flail hammer and pulled on it. The Galleon Hammer was suddenly flung towards the hero. Winding up a punch, Mega Man Neo had punched right through the shield and destroyed the face of the Galleon Hammer.

With the Galleons' supposed leader decommissioned, Mega Man Neo brought out his Mega-Buster and began to shoot them down one by one. He only took a few damage from the Galleon Hunters as they seemed to surprisingly miss their target a lot. However, the Galleon Assaults seemed to be the one giving Neo some trouble. Two Galleon Riders attempted to run Neo over, but he backflipped to evade their cross attack. Given little time to be surprised at his agility, Mega Man Neo aimed his Mega-Buster at the Galleon Assaults that charged towards him and blew them away with a well earned Charged Shot. The Galleon Riders were all that was left in this sector and Mega Man Neo wasn't about to lose now (not that he could anyway with this supposed difficulty).

Two Galleon Riders were attempting to move on to a new sector of the city to cause more havoc while three Galleon Riders charged towards the hero. He effortlessly vaulted over the three riders and released a Charged Shot at one of the escaping Galleon Riders. With one destroyed, he was going after the other. The Galleon Rider knew that escape was clearly inevitable and turned around, doing a wheelie. Mega Man Neo prepared another Charged Shot for it, but to his surprise, the Galleon Rider hopped off the Motorcycle and it hurled towards the hero. He released the shot at the vehicle, destroying it. Without the vehicle the Galleon was completely defenseless. The three Galleon Riders behind Neo were still on his tail. After quickly disposing of the defenseless Galleon, he ran towards the last three. He jumped and kick one Galleon off its bike, causing it to lose control. It hit a building, but it looked like it was still intact. While in Mega-Knuckle mode, Neo grabbed hold of the second Galleon Rider's bike and hurled it towards the third, destroying the soldiers and their bikes.

"I don't think I can keep this up for long...!" Neo said. "Well, I mean, I _CAN_ , but it's like they're endless amounts of Mavericks coming into the city...!"

"In that case, we need to find the source of all this!" Mega instructed. "They are just popping in out of thin air! They have to be coming here from somewhere!"

Suddenly, a loud heartbeat-like sound erupted across the city, making Neo's own heart drop a little. He felt the pulse crawl around his spine and ribs and everything...!

"What was that...?" Neo questioned.

"I don't know, but it... It feels familiar..." Mega admitted dramatically. "...Familiar or not, it feels like negative energy..."

Neo turned towards the direction of where the ominous pulse came from and he was surprised to see where it was coming from. As the pulse continued, the location seemed to have a couple of flying mechanilioids coming from that direction and Galleon foot soldiers were hitching rides on the flying mechaniloids, soaring the skies.

"...And it's coming from Ultime...!" Mega muttered.

"Oh no! Magne might be in trouble!" Neo cried in concern. "We've got no time to waste! Magne and the others in that castle need our help!"

"Agreed," Mega approved. "If we're lucky, the source of this city's Maverick problem will be there too!"

Mega Man Neo began to take off running, but he slowed down when he noticed the Galleon Rider's motorcycle still intact. With a mischievous smile, he grabbed it and hopped onto the bike. He eagerly gripped onto the handles and had his foot on the pedals... However, he didn't move.

"I, uh, I don't know how to start this thing..." Neo admitted.

He scanned around on the bike searching for a " _start-button_ ". He saw a large green button on his left side and made the assumption that it was the _start-button_ he sought. Pressing it, the bike began to start up.

"Alright, Ultime, here we come!" Mega Man Neo cried as he took off on the bike.


	7. Chapter 6: The False Leader!

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 6 - The False Leader!

* * *

Mega Man Neo blazed through the streets, purposely running over Galleon Hunters as he drove along the streets of Kairos City. Neo shrieked in terror when the road suddenly exploded before him, forcing him to make a sharp turn to another part of the street. He didn't know how to get to Ultime properly so he was simply driving until he found a path to get there. As he got closer to the castle, he could see that less and fewer citizens were around the area. Hopefully, the majority got to the safe zone that the intercom had told them to head to.

"You know, it's been bothering me ever since we began fighting the Mavericks in this city," Mega began, catching the attention of Neo while at the same time keeping his eyes on the ride. His Mother has taught him to keep his eyes on the road at all times when outside; be it by walking or...despite his age, driving. "With the Mavericks in the city, you'd think the security force would react to the breach."

Now that he mentioned it, the security force and anything affiliated with it was no were to be seen. There were no the soldiers around to protect the city.

"Yeah... Where are they...?" Neo questioned.

Neo scanned the area he was driving in and noticed that he was getting closer to the castle. However, in order to get there, he needed to get to the bridge that led to the castle and that was on the far west side. Drifting along the streets; something he was surprised he could do; Mega Man Neo made a mad dash towards that bridge while getting some distance from the approaching Galleon Riders and Gyro Copters.

As he approached the bridge via taking the path that normally bicycles could take, the Deluxe Galleon Wing discovered the hero riding on the bridge. The Deluxe Galleon Wing had gotten the attention of the other Galleon Wings to take on Mega Man Neo. The hero turned around to find the flying Mavericks following in pursuit. The hero looked back on the road to find that a spinning propeller was heading his way, courtesy of a malfunctioning Cutting Gyro. He was almost hit, but he evaded the propeller.

Neo turned around and aimed his Mega-Buster at the Deluxe Galleon Wing, hoping to destroy the leader. However, he couldn't shoot and drive at the same time and he was beginning to lose control. After quickly gaining control, he decided to simply ignore them for now and push forward. Suddenly, the Deluxe Galleon Wing along with its loyal soldiers released a flurry of energy bullets at the road. In time, the road exploded 30 feet in front of Mega Man Neo, causing him to panic. With quick thinking, Neo hopped and rode on top of the dividers to get on the wrong side of the road. He WAS going to drive on the right side of the road, but the Mavericks had to make part of the road disappear. In reality, Neo shouldn't be worrying about following road rules when he was trying to get to the castle; especially with deadly machines at his tail.

He was getting very close to the castle as the building was looking bigger and bigger as he pressed on. The more he drove, the more the winged Mavericks were shooting. More holes were created to stop the hero, but their efforts were futile as the hero simply moved to one side of the road to the next. The alarm at Ultime has been sounded since the Mavericks arrived, but it was getting louder as Neo got closer to the castle. Finally at the entryway at the end of the bridge, Mega Man Neo went into Mega-Knuckle mode and punched his way through the gates. Driving past the parking space, he went onto the sidewalk to the castle and began to approach the final bridge towards the 600-meter tall castle. The winged Mavericks would not let up, however; getting more and persistent as they released endless energy bullets at the hero.

Mega Man Neo was getting agitated by the enemies' persistence. Somehow he needed to get rid of them. Charging his Mega-Buster, he turned around to aim at the Deluxe Galleon Wing. He was beginning to lose control of the bike again, making his aim seem off. He took his chances and released the shot. It missed the Deluxe Galleon Wing, but it did hit one of the lesser Galleon Wings. Just hitting a lesser version was not enough. No, Neo needed to finish off the Deluxe version. With his eyes back on the road, he noticed more Mavericks pouring from Ultime; specifically from the rooftops. A pack of Galleon Riders was heading his way and it just irritated him more, making him more perplexed about what to do.

Popping a wheelie, Mega Man Neo pressed forward, not letting the overwhelming attention get to him. He charged his Mega-Buster again and aimed at the approaching Galleon Riders, creating a large gap between him and the riders. Passing by them and slightly distracting the Galleon Wings, he was getting close to the gateway into the building. He hopped off the bike and angrily turned to the winged Mavericks, releasing semi Charged Shots towards them. It hit a few Galleon Wings but the Deluxe Galleon Wing had evaded all shots. Infuriated, Mega Man Neo grabbed the bike he had ridden and threw it at the Deluxe. The leader had dodged the bike, but it was unlucky enough to dodge the Charged Shot he had followed afterwords. Satisfied that the leader was taken care of, Mega Man Neo ran towards the gate. It was beginning to close so he had to move faster. The gate closed shut, causing Neo to slam his hands on the large gate. He easily regretted throwing away his bike. He turned to his right find a structure along the walls of the castle that could possibly lead him into the castle somehow. The kid has played enough video games to know to always observe his surroundings and those days of playing digital games were about to pay off.

* * *

Sliding alongside the wall on the castle, Mega Man Neo saw more Galleon Wings leave from the rooftops. He sighed in relief as they did not seem to notice him hugging the wall above the ocean below. Neo was really high and that was bad enough. If he falls then it was going to take a long time to get back up there... A really, REALLY long time. The hero gulped as he continued to steadily slide along the wall, looking down to make sure he doesn't lose his footing on the very skinny path. Looking above, he found a large triangle-shaped window that was closed shut, but there the large hole that he could grab onto. He hopped and grabbed a hold of the platform, but he surmised that he was too big to actually fit through the area. He could bust his way into the window and hop inside, but standing outside it was a no go. He looked alongside the walls to notice that there were hooks that he could grab onto. While Mega had told Neo that he could wall jump, his fear of heights prevented him of taking that chance, fearing that he might lose his footing just from jumping off the wall and again. He would have to do the technique if he wanted to get to the second floor balcony. It was the only floor currently that looked safe... To his oblivious knowledge. He swallowed his wits and flung himself upwards, grabbing onto hook after hook until there was none left. After he jumped off the last hook, he wall kicked his way towards the second floor, grabbing onto the edge and forcefully pulling himself on the ground. Just as he hoped, no Mavericks lurked on the second floor balcony.

"Alright, finally..." Neo said in relief. He looked up at the sky to see that the castle was much bigger than he thought. The loud beat that he heard minutes ago back in the city was getting louder. Just as Mega guessed, this negative feeling coming from the beat originated from Ultime. Aside with the loud alarm that sounded in this sector, it was getting more and more ominous as he begins to feel like he has reached the final stretch.

He looked around to find two doors that he could enter in order to access the city. Running towards one of them, he finally got inside the building, closing the door behind him. The interior was darker than it was brighter outside, looking a little brownish-orange with minimal light coming from the walls' small square-shaped windows. In front was a long corridor. Above on the third floor, Neo could hear loud mechanical clanks that sounded an awful lot like foot steps that he could only assume to belong to the Mavericks. He ran silently through the corridor while looking around, trying not to get the Mavericks' attention. Suddenly, when he turned his head forward he was suddenly met with a barrel pointed at his face. He shrieked in terror to find a man dressed in a uniform pointing a buster-rifle in his face.

Neo could tell this guy wanted to shoot him, but something held him back from doing so.

"Who are you!?" The soldier asked in a panic but demanding tone. He had thought that Neo was a Maverick.

Although a little afraid, Neo took on a brave face and answered as professionally as he could. "I'm not a Maverick, that's for sure. I'm the one who's going to save Kairos City...! Are you a part of the security force?"

The soldier, albeit reluctantly, lowered his weapon, although he was still suspicious. "...Yes, I am."

"Then why aren't you and the others out there protecting the innocent people in the city!?" Mega yelled through the Combi-Carrier.

The soldier eyed the device and noticed the Reploid inside the device, looking similar to how Neo looked right now, except he had fewer design features, looking a little bland but retro. Deciding not to question it, the soldier lets out a woeful sigh.

"We can't do _anything_ right now...! Most of the Mavericks are keeping us all here while some others are heading towards the city! The strange thing is, they are a very organized group of Mavericks."

"Yeah, we noticed." Neo answered almost sarcastically.

"That means that someone is clearly controlling them..." Mega surmised. "Mister, is Magne safe?"

The soldier shrugged, looking like he was unsure. "I don't know... We're all trying to fight the Mavericks inside... I assume that he's in his office, but that's all the way on the top floor and we can't even get close without being bombarded."

The soldier began to shudder. "I swear, there's this dark pulse that I'm getting from there and it's just getting worse when you're near the office. I'm starting to think the Mavericks are doing something really bad to Magne..."

Neo took in all the information needed. "Okay then, we just need to get to his office."

The soldier shook his head in disbelief. "Easier said than done. Have you seen the amounts of Mavericks coming from Ultime? There's way too many of them!"

Neo grinned cockily. "So? Do you know how many we-er, **_I_** , had to take on to get to his castle? Hundreds! They're a piece of cake!"

The soldier stared confusingly at the boy. He rubbed his chin before gazing down at Neo. "Yeah... I don't know how you got here kid, but you clearly are something else if you managed to get here by yourself. Alright, you go to Magne's office and save our leader, got it?"

The soldier reached into his pocket and pulled out an ID Card. "And take my card. It'll get you past most of the doors in this building."

Neo blinked in perplexity. "W-Whoa Whoa, hold on! You're not going to come with me?"

The soldier shook his head. "No way. I got my own thing going on."

"So, _what_? Are you just going to run away and abandoned the people you swore to protect!?" Mega yelled.

Although the soldier was confused by the little guy in the device, he didn't question it. "Me? Run away?! I'm no fool! I'm heading down to the basement to try and get these Mavericks off our backs! We have some backup supplies in there and we're going to need them if we want to Mavericks outta of our city!"

Neo nodded. "Okay then, you go do that and I'll take on the Maverick Boss here!"

With that, Neo proceeded forward, parting ways with the soldier. Right off the bat, Mega Man Neo was met with a door that required identification. Pressing the ID Card against the scanner, he opened the door that led to the second-floor lobby. He sneaked about, hoping to find a way to the third floor and onward. Sneakily speeding throughout the lobby, Neo was oblivious to the fact that cameras were hanging in the corners, catching sight of the Blue Bomber; not that it mattered very much. He was about to approach an elevator, but Mega cautioned him not to do so, believing that with the Mavericks hanging around, they might get him stuck in there. Therefore, he was opted to take the stairs beside the elevator.

Opening the door to the stairway, he met a female soldier who was clearly in her early 20s. She was a Reploid, compared to the Humanoid male soldier he met a few seconds ago.

"Who are you?!" She demanded, believing that Neo was a Maverick.

Neo looked annoyed at the situation he was in. It was almost similar to the situation he was just in minutes ago. He gave the girl an agitated and quick response, not bothering to pause between sentences. "I am a hero and I'm here to stop the Mavericks and I gotta go to the top floor right away so excuse me please!"

The female grabbed onto Neo's shoulder as he tried to run to the stairs. "Hold on there!"

Neo sighed in annoyance. While he understood the woman's concern, he needed to get a move on. "Magne might be in trouble! The more time I sit here, the more time the Mavericks have to hurt him!"

The female shook her head. "Just hang on! I need to warn you about the large mechaniloids hanging around on the upcoming floors. They're big and nasty! They knocked out a few friends of mine already!"

"Big Mechaniloids?" Mega repeated ominously.

"Yeah," she answered, dismissing her questions about the guy in the device. "One of them seemed to be in this weird goo that is completely impervious to our bullets! I don't know who you are but you really need to get away from there."

"Sorry! That's not going to happen!" Neo said. "No gooey mechaniloid is going to scare me off! If no one's going to save Magne, then who?!"

The female sighed in frustration. She did not know who this kid was, but she felt that it was best to let him fight. "Well, you're not going take no for an answer, then... Who _are_ you anyway?"

"Just a hero! Call me the Blue Bomber!" He answered "heroically". With that out of the way, he went to the stairs, skipping each step. The female looked up to find him already on the third floor. She realized that he somehow got to the castle despite all the chaos outside.

 _"The Blue Bomber...?"_ She questioned in her mind. Dismissing her thoughts, she proceeded to head into the basement with the other soldiers who managed to escape down there safely.

Currently, Mega Man Neo's only way to the fourth floor was to travel across the third floor. Because of how the building was structured, there was no way to get all the way to the top floor with just one single stairway or elevator path. This building is ancient after all and even with the updated technology used in the building, they could only construct so far without causing the castle to collapse upon itself.

Just as the female soldier described it, Mega Man Neo had come face to face with a gooey mechaniloid with a Galleon head within the substance.

That was the _Rainbow Devil_. There was only one in existence back in 23XX as the _Cutting Shadow Squadron_ of Neo Arcadia's secret weapon. As the name implied, the liquid metal that the Devil's body consisted of constantly changed colors. As if it wasn't obvious, Neo assumed that the Galleon Head was the core that kept it functioning. Normally, a Pantheon head would be the core, but it would appear that the Galleon Head had the similar, if not the same functions as the Pantheons.

"You know... I heard from Rafale that Neo Arcadia had some secret weapon consisting of liquid metal," Neo began. "But its long gone... If this is the mechaniloid he was talking about, then how are is it here!?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Do you know its name?" Mega asked.

Before Neo could give an answer, though he had no idea of their names himself, the Rainbow Devil stretched its arm towards him. Great. Now Neo had to fight in the hallway that's small enough as it is. Of course, his time was running out so the fight had to end early. Mega Man Neo dodged the hand, and proceeded to run against the wall; hopping through the small gap that the Rainbow Devil had unintentionally left. Believing that his evasion was based on pure luck, he pushed his luck further and attempted to find the stairway towards the fourth floor and be done with the Rainbow Devil behind him. After entering a lobby area, he discovered the elevator, and if there was an elevator, a stairway was next to it. Entering the staircase, he hopped to the fourth floor, escaping the Rainbow Devil in the third floor.

This is what Mega Man Neo had to do to find Magne. In each floor, there were Mavericks, either Galleon Hunters, _BeamWalkers_ , _Galleon Shockers_ , a Galleon Hammer, and the Rainbow Devil that had managed to use its liquefied body to follow him. It was horrible. While Neo was fortunate enough to escape the wrath of a few Mavericks, he had to get into a scuffle with the pursuing Rainbow Devil by the time he reached the eighth floor. He fled away from the mechaniloid again but Neo was damaged from the fight. Regardless of his wounds, he pushed forward, believing that failure was _not_ an option.

* * *

Once reaching the final floor, Mega Man Neo hung against the door leading to Magne's office after having to destroy the Rainbow Devil that haunted him for so long. He was looking beat up after having battled so many Mavericks. His fights against the Mavericks were so much different than how it went back in The Sanctuary. At the Sanctuary, the Mavericks took little to no effort. But the Mavericks here were strategic and smart and brutal. It seemed that the more Mavericks he encountered, the smarter they became. It was like the male soldier said a couple floors down; These Mavericks are organized and they almost acted like a hive mind, gaining new knowledge on his move-set and fighting style which was beginning to get more predictable as he fought more Mavericks.

Strangely, digital particles were lingering at parts of his body, such as his leg, his chest, and even his cheek.

Mega looked very concerned. Neo was already tired and this was his first true battle to save millions of innocent lives. If something major and deadly was behind this door, then he will surely lose.

"Rokku," Mega called out. Neo stared at the screen, breathing heavily. "I know you're hurt... I can feel a little bit of your pain honestly."

Neo began to smile weakly. Mega noticed this and continued, a smile forming on his face too, "But we need to be in tip-top condition if we're going to win this battle! So buck up, partner!"

Neo turned his smile into a grin. All of a sudden, he felt a little... stronger. More specifically, he didn't feel as terrible as before. Mega also took notice, since he felt almost what Neo felt.

The digital particles that were around his body had disappeared, but in its place was healed up parts of Mega Man Neo's body!

Neo scurried about, looking at his armor and flexing his arm back and forth.

"W-Whoa...!" Neo exclaimed. "I feel better...!"

Mega began to realize what had just happened.

"Zero's fragment..." He whispered.

"Huh?" Neo gasped.

" _'It should also aid you when you are in a bind...'_ This must be what Ciel meant by that." Mega exclaimed, recounting Ciel's words. "This fragment... It heals up our body over time until we're completely healed up!"

"Wow...!" Neo exclaimed. "Zero kinda helped us out, didn't he!?"

Mega nodded. "Yeah! I guess that means we don't have to worry about going down so easily!"

Neo pulled his fist back in anticipation. "Alright! Now that we're okay, we can move on! Whoever's behind this plot is going to have an embarrassing beat down! No avoiding this one!"

With that Mega Man Neo pushed open the doors, entering a bright area. In fact, it was really bright! Primarily because of the large hole that took up most of the rooftop and back wall. There was a large desk and chair, similar to an American president's office. However, the desk was broken in half and the chair was on the other side of the room. Neo further scanned the room to find a girl lying nearby the hole in the wall. She looked awfully familiar too...

Without hesitation, Neo ran to the girl and knelt down to her level. He began to shake her softly, attempting to wake her up. Of course, Mega told him that this was not the proper way to check if she was alive, but regardless, the girl awakened.

There was no doubt about it; This was the same girl Rokku and Mega met back in the park a few hours ago. So looked like she was okay, but there were a few tears on her clothes and bodysuit. When she opened her eyes completely, she shrieked in terror and kicked Neo. It didn't hurt him because of his armor, but he was still distraught nevertheless. She backed up against the bookshelf, panting in fear.

"Keep back! Go! Shoo!" The girl cried, her eyes expressing terror and uncertainty.

Neo sighed in irritation. He's been through this again and again. Do the people really think he looks like a Maverick in this armor? No... Or at least he shouldn't look like one. If anything, he looks like a hero! His color scheme was blue, black and white, colors of a typical hero! You don't see any Mavericks with this color scheme! (At least, not anymore!)

"I'm your friend, don't worry." Neo said softly. The girl didn't seem to buy that though.

"Like heck you are!" She screamed. "Mavericks aren't ANYONE'S friend!"

"But I'm not a Maverick! I'm the _Blue Bomber_!" Neo responded.

The girl blinked in confusion. "You know, you sound awfully familiar... You even _look_ familiar, armor aside... Have we met before?"

Neo smiled awkwardly. Just like in comic books, the girl thinks she met the hero somewhere before because of something that reminders of the main protagonist; in this case being his voice and face. He thought this was cool. Hiding his playful excitement, he told her,

"Um, no! Can't say we have~!"

The girl blinked again. The moment was crushed when the beat that was heard over and over again got extremely loud. Neo turned to his left towards the hole to realize that the source was much closer than he thought. Through the hole was a large and long balcony with a great view of the city... Or devastating because of the Mavericks' havoc.

"Listen, I've got something to take care of. I'd like you to stay right where you are. Everywhere else is dangerous. Can you do that for me?" Mega Man Neo asked the girl.

She hesitantly nodded, giving Neo the _"OK"_ to deal with the issue. At last, it took him nearly an hour to get to this point, but now he was going to (hopefully) end this.

Stepping through the hole that used to be the back door, Mega Man Neo stood before a large man that was holding up a strange device. Whatever it was had a negative aura surrounding it and it seemed to empower the man. Small orbs were bolting from the device and were forming into Mechaniloids. This was it; This was the device that kept producing Mavericks. The bigger question was, who was this jerk behind it all?

"Yo, _jerkwad_!" Mega Man Neo called out, clenching his fists.

The man clenched onto the device and turned to the hero. This is where Neo got a better look at the guy. He was larger than him, obviously. He had fair skin and some beard marks on his chin. He had a large visible scar across his entire face, just above his nose. He had blue eyes that seem to revert to red constantly. He had black hair that was spiky, almost similar to Neo's but looking much sharper. He seemed to have Reploid battle armor, but this jerk was Human. He had this intimidating scowl that just screamed _'war-soldier'_...

He wore a strange helmet that had sharp edges that were pointing outwards. His hair was escaping through the helmet on the front and back sides. The front shows the hair extending past his chin and the back shows his spiky hair shaping up to be sort of like a ponytail.

He was wearing white, midnight blue, jet black, and red Reploid combat armor. Complete with large Reploid-like hands (with black gloves and white fingertips). It looked archaic yet recent. He even had a holster for what appears to be "Buster-Rifle" on his right leg. He also wore a purple cape with a white symbol dedicated to Kairos City, complete purple edges.

"This is unexpected," The man said in a dreadful tone. Mega Man Neo felt this chill up his spine when he spoke. "We have an uninvited guest; A child no less."

The man glared at Neo, gripping onto the dark device. "Whoever you are, you've proved to be a real nuisance."

Neo glared back at him, trying not to appear afraid. Honestly, he was a little afraid, but he was more nervous if anything. "Alright, who are you!?"

"It's bad enough that the Mavericks are hurting innocents, but now we have another madman obsessed with world domination!" Mega cried through the Combi-Carrier.

The man glared at the device Neo wore and found a slight interest in it. Like the soldiers down below, he dismissed the thought for the moment.

"Who am I, you ask?" The man's scowl grew. "I am the one who was chosen to purge this world of the weak. Survival of the fittest is the law of nature!"

"Oh, great..." Neo sighed in agitation and annoyance. "Another one of you guys..."

Neo had heard of guys like this, both in real life and in his comics, manga, and anime. They were the type of people who believed that the "weak" had no right to live in the world and decided that they should be the ones to get rid of them. These kinds of people annoyed Neo.

The man, however, had ignored Mega Man Neo's comment. "I am Magne, the man who has led this region for a full century!"

Neo's blood froze when he heard the name. "M-Magne...!? That's you!? The one who fought against the Mavericks for the people!?"

The man now known as Magne smirked. "My reputation is well known I see. Yes, I am _that_ man."

Mega Man Neo's anger began to rise. " **Why!?** Why are you hurting the people you promised to protect!?"

"For a century, I have blindly led the hopeless worms down below! Now that I have awakened, I realize what my job really is and I will hold nothing back to purge the weak!" Magne yelled, the device in his hand glowing brighter with the dark aura surrounding it. He held the device in front of Neo for him to observe. "This Biometal, _**Model W**_ , is what has awakened me from my century-long dream!"

Mega Man Neo observed the Biometal in Magne's hands. He heard the name Biometal and he's heard of the name Model W. All which he heard from Ciel. This is what she warned them about.

"Shoot... It looks like Magne is a victim of Model W..." Mega surmised.

Neo looked at Mega in confusion. " _Victim_?"

"Do you really believe that Magne just _suddenly_ turns evil? I don't think so!" Mega cried. He could feel Magne's soul crying out to them, begging to be rescued. "This Model W is taking over this poor man's mind and soul... and it's up to us to free him from Model W's clutches!"

Magne scoffed at the boys. "Hmph, you think I'm controlled? Being held by the strings like some puppet?!"

Mega Man Neo stood battle ready, prepared for anything. This was going to be his first major battle against an antagonist. The feeling that everything and everyone depended on him made him feel special, yet feel scared. However, being scared is the reason he's fighting. He's going to get over his fears and with Mega under his aegis, they were going to take this guy down.

"There are _no_ _strings_ to control me, kid. Everything is done by my will and my will alone!" Magne said with a scowl.

"Strings? Puppets? You're definitely being held by the strings of Model W!" Neo cried. "I'm going to beat you and save Kairos City! Getting ready to be toast, pal!"

The girl from before was staring through the hole, listening to the Blue Bomber's "inspiring" yet childish words. She swore she heard that voice from before, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Regardless, Magne simply gave chortles to Mega Man Neo, nowhere near intimidated by the hero's promises. "Hmhmhmhmhm... Which one of us will be _toasted_? Let us see... I will be the one to determine if you are one of the weak that will perish once the world is given a proper change!"

With that, Magne began to clench the Model W tighter and tighter until it was engulfed in a bright light. It soon formed with him, disappearing completely from his hand. With his right hand, he reached for his holster and pulled out his supposed Buster-Rifle. In actuality, it was a Rifle and Beam Sword...

Mega Man Neo went into Mega-Knuckle Mode and pressed them together. This was it...!

Beginning the decisive battle, Mega Man Neo rushed towards his opponent, winding back his punch. Magne scoffed and went into Sword Mode on his Rifle. He proceeded to slice the hero in half, but he was not in front of him.

"Too slow, Bozo~!"

Before Magne could react, he was sent flying towards the ground with a punch. Magne got on his feet before his entire body got on the ground. He looked at Neo with surprise in his eyes.

 _"He's fast...!"_ Magne thought. _"He's not an ordinary child..."_

Magne stood a laughed wickedly. "Ha Ha Ha! I see... You must a _Chosen One_ like me!"

"I _guess_ you can say that." Neo answered, staring happily at Mega who smiled back. The moment was misplaced though when they realized that this was a battle.

"I have made a mistake by underestimating you... You aren't just some regular kid... You're special...!" Magne said, going into Firearm Mode on his Rifle. "For that reason, I will go all out... You will be a perfect test subject to my newfound power...!"

Magne proceeded to shoot rounds of negative energy bullets towards the hero, but Mega Man Neo quickly evaded them. Once close enough, he prepared to punch Magne again, but he disappeared. Suddenly, his neck was wrung from behind, courtesy of Magne. He had a Rifle pointed against Neo's back. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger, and Mega Man Neo was bounced away from Magne. On the ground face flat with a large black mark on the back of his chest armor, he got back on his feet, looking like he was barely fazed by that attack. Magne growled in irritation, believing that the blast should've at least killed the kid.

"Hey, you rushing into the fray without thinking _isn't_ a good idea," Mega scolded. "We have to think strategically... Study our opponent's actions carefully and strike when there's an opening!"

"I nailed a hit on him the first time!" Neo retorted, deflecting a shot from Magne's Rifle. He had to remember there was a girl right behind him. If any of those shots get inside, she's a goner.

"You got _lucky_ the first time!" Mega corrected. "You only got that hit in because he didn't expect it. Surprising others is your forte, Rokku! You need to surprise your enemy often when given the opportunity. If you do that, then our enemy will lose for sure!"

Suddenly, Magne rushed towards Neo. He threw a flurry of punches, Neo managing to dodge each and every one surprisingly. After a while, Neo grabbed one of Magne's punches and used his very own Mega-Knuckle to punch Magne square in the face. He wasn't done yet though! Rushing towards Magne while his guard was down a bit, he prepared for a rather unusual attack. Magne caught his breath but he was immediately met with two feet hitting him again. Mega Man Neo had ran to him, jumped in the air and gave him a perfect dropkick with both of his feet. Landing on his side, Neo quickly hopped back on his feet and readied another attack to throw on Magne. The man had enough though and he exploded in a fit of rage, the dark aura around him growing in strength and power. He rushed towards Neo, grabbed his face and slammed it on the ground, making a large dent into the strong balcony. Immediately, the hero was met with a barrage of dark balls of energy that really seemed to hurt. He didn't even get a chance to get back up after he was slammed on the ground!

The smoke cleared and Mega Man Neo was looking like he could still fight.

"This is the power of Model W, hero!" Magne yelled at his opponent. "I've been granted this power for a reason!"

The girl held her hands together and prayed that this mysterious hero could prevail against Magne.

 _"Don't give up... Blue Bomber..."_

Mega Man Neo stood tall, clenching his fists together. Magne's dark scowl returned followed by a growl. He glared at Mega Man Neo's eyes, making a quick observation on what he sees within them.

"Your eyes..." Magne began. "...They show me that you still believe in "hope" for this world. Hah! What a fool!"

Those same orbs that had bombarded Neo appeared behind Magne. There was nine, Mega counted. Magne's irises became red completely and his sclera changed from white to black occasionally, showcasing a change in transformation.

"What you believe in is a farce! My beliefs are _refined_! My beliefs are _superior_! There is nothing for _YOU_ to believe in, boy!"

The dark orbs homed on Mega Man Neo. Each orb that collided with the hero caused an explosion followed by smoke that engulfed him. From within the smoke, Mega Man Neo smiled heroically.

"Wow, Mega's right," Neo began with a childish chuckle. "You really _are_ being controlled! Talking about lack of hope and faith? Sounds like Maverick talk to me and I know you aren't a Maverick, Magne!"

Magne's eyes widened. The smoke instantly disappeared from a force that came from Mega Man Neo. He had his Mega-Buster at the ready on his right hand while his left hand was in Mega-Knuckle Mode.

"The people have gotten hurt and they are still being attacked by the Mavericks you created!" Neo said, charging his Mega-Buster. "I'm going to give it my all, Magne! But I can't save you if you don't fight back against Model W! We'll need to work together, got it!?"

Magne stared for a while. His blank stare was... terrifying actually. Nine more orbs appeared behind Magne. Finally, his sclera was completely black and he has shown Mega Man Neo a psychopathic inhumane grin that defined insane. The orbs homed in on Neo once again, but Neo used his Mega-Knuckle hand to block all of the shots. With his Mega-Buster, he released a Charged Shot that collided with Magne. The man fell on his knee, breathing heavily.

 _"That shot... It nearly cost me my life...!"_ Magne exclaimed in his mind. He glared at Mega Man Neo preparing another Charged Shot. _"Is he... Is he trying to kill me?! Imbecile!"_

Magne stood on his feet and brought out more orbs along with his Rifle in Sword Mode. "Admittedly, you are tenacious. I'd find that respectable if I didn't despise you so!"

Magne's sword began to glow purple, resembling a Beam Saber... "Like a gnat, you are a nuisance, and you will be _swatted_...!"

" _ **You will know pain...!**_ "

Magne hovered in the air and rushed forward, his opponent following after with his Mega-Buster ready to blast a Charged Shot. Jumping in the air to meet Magne, Mega Man Neo pointed his Mega-Buster to Magne for the shot. Magne withdrew his sword and began to thrust forward as the orbs began to add to the damage count. The girl flinched, unknown of the outcome of this struggle.

* * *

Flying at high speeds in the sky was a large sky blue airship with the resemblance of a bird; complete with retractable wings for increased speed. Behind the airship were smaller yet significant ships of a similar design but the same color.

Within the lead airship was three Navigators that piloted the ship; all of which were female. Observing them was a large man with a closed, dark blue, high-collared jacket. At the end of his sleeves were large golden cuffs with a red diamond forged into each one. He had a badge attached to his right chest. The badge was a gold ring with a red interior and three gold feathers surrounding the ring. He had silver shoulder pads that held onto a black torn and ragged military cape. Around his neck, he wore a yellow scarf that remained within the jacket. He wore rifle green military wristbands and black military gloves. He wore large Reploid boots (the ones wore by the majority of civilians in the whole world) colored brown with black soles and gold entryway for the boots.

He has brown hair with most of the strands of hair pointing upwards and the other majority pointing down like normal. His eyes were also brown and he had the face of a middle-aged man.

With his right hand in his coat pocket and his left hand gripping onto the long black military staff, the man spoke to his Navigators.

"Status report on Kairos City, Winry." The man called out to the Navigator in the middle who had blonde hair.

The Navigator turned to the man and shook her head in distress. "Not good, sir... The Mavericks are beginning to break through the defenses of the Safe Zone..."

The Navigator with pink hair, who was on the Winry's left, spoke up next. "We have zero sightings of Kairos City's Security Force either... It's like they don't even notice the peril going on..!"

The last Navigator, the one with purple hair, spoke last. "We'll arrive in Kairos City in approximately 5 Minutes!"

The man nodded, sighing heavily. "Thank you, girls. Keep up the good work."

"Yes sir, General Payne!" They all responded.

The General lied his staff against the railings and placed his hand against his face. With an audible growl, he faced the window in front of his beloved ship, staring at the Ultime castle from afar. "Darn it, Magne... What are you doing down there...!?"

Suddenly, Winry got an update on her keypad. "Sir, I have some new intel from the ship's broad-range eye camera!"

General Payne looked at Winry, interested in what she had to show. "Display the footage, if you would."

"Yes, sir!" Winry responded, initiating the video program on the eye camera.

Suddenly, a large holographic video file appeared on the window screen, almost blocking the General from seeing the city. The General squinted as he looked at the video. It appeared to have shown Ultime where tons of Mavericks circling around the castle in the skies while others headed for the city. However, General Payne caught something else... Something more. It was on the top floor's large balcony. Without keeping his eyes off that specific spot, he gave an order to Winry.

"Enhance the video!" General Payne ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Winry answered. "I will do my best to give you the best quality possible!"

As Winry configured with the controls, the General did not keep his eyes off that spot. Winry had enhanced the video as promised, giving a slightly blurry image of two fighters battling at the balcony.

"I'm sorry sir, but this is the best I can do!" Winry apologized.

The General frowned at the sight of the battle. He did not know who was battling who, but one thing is for sure: One of them had a familiar battling style and it upset the General highly.

He growled and slammed his fist on the railing. " _Full Speed Ahead!_ No holding back! I want our airships at Kairos City and I need them to be there _yesterday_!"

"Yes, sir!" They all responded.

The ship began to pick up speed, the ships behind them following suit.

"Magne..." The General whispered. " _What have you done...?!_ "

* * *

Mega Man Neo screamed as he ran towards Magne, Mega-Knuckle Mode engaged. Magne screamed just as loud, his Aura growing larger and larger. Both of them had they hands held together, struggling to win this battle. The balcony was damaged highly and the girl had to take serious cover after the attacks Magne threw at Neo. Both fighters growled furiously, both trying to win this struggle. Mega Man Neo growled viciously and tilted his head back. Quickly, Neo slammed his helmet on Magne's, knocking his opponent back and giving him a chance to strike. His Mega-Buster was out and charging up a Charged Shot. Once at full capacity, Mega Man Neo went up close to Magne and prepared to finish the battle.

Neo rushed towards his opponent once again. Magne, who was near the edge of the balcony, brought out his Rifle and went into Firearm Mode, ready to blast the hero out of his sights.

"Playtime is over, hero!" Magne screamed, charging up his very own blast.

Neo pounced at Magne, grabbing his shoulders and pointing his Mega-Buster at his opponent's face. Magne pointed the Rifle at Neo's chest, his own charged shot reaching full capacity itself. Both fighters released their own Charged Shots, creating a large explosion that rebelled them away from each other. Mega Man Neo fell on his back, bouncing up and down before finally lying still on the ground. Magne was on both of his knees, shaking terribly. His eyes kept changing from irregular to normal, back and forth. Eventually, Magne began to bend backward, leaning back on his own knees while his arms dangled freely along the floor.

Slowly, Mega Man Neo got back on his feet, his chest showing a large black, blast mark just like it had on his back. Mega Man Neo went back into Mega-Knuckle Mode, opening and closing his fists in anticipation. Magne finally moved again, but his eyes stayed the same, growling viciously.

"You... You **_gnat_**...!" Magne swore beneath his breath.

Mega Man Neo slowly ran towards Magne, screaming as he withdrew his right hand back, ready to punch Magne's face.

" _ **YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!**_ "

His fist began to shine bright blue as he ran... Glowing brighter and brighter...!

"Snap out of it, Magne!" Mega Man Neo screamed, getting closer to Magne's face!

Suddenly, a weird-looking grenade appeared in front of Mega Man Neo and it looked like it was about to explode! Immediately, Mega Man Neo kicked it, causing it to explode about 7 feet into the air, barely near Mega Man Neo or Magne. Neo jumps back after seeing that random grenade appear, the grenade revealed to be a _Photon Grenade_. Suddenly, a soldier in blue appears from the sky and points his Buster-Rifle at Mega Man Neo. Following this soldier was a few more that appeared from the sky as well. They seemed to surround him completely, all firearms aimed at him.

The girl saw what was happening and tried to get up using her remaining strength. She nearly collapsed again, but she held onto a part of the crater in order to stand tall.

"Seize fire men!"

Mega Man Neo looked up to find a man appear via floating, circular platform with ring railings to prevent falling. The platform landed on the balcony and the railings retracted into the platform, allowing the man to walk onto the actual balcony.

The 6'3" man stood tall, looking down at the 5'6" hero. He glared suspiciously at the boy, before looking behind him to find Magne on his one knee, struggling to get up. Something Mega Man Neo noticed was that Magne... Magne wasn't in any combat armor anymore...! In fact, his eyes were normal and so was his face. He was wearing regular clothing again. He paced back and forth and noticed that the Model W Biometal that Magne had held onto was now on the ground beside his left foot. It began to shatter and then disappear as if the wind blew it away. This confused the hero, wondering if Biometals did that... He was wondering WHAT caused Magne to lose the Biometal.

He then felt a presence nearby... Aside from the surrounding soldiers, the man, Magne and the girl (whom he did not notice), he looked around to see something irregular... From the top of the castle's radio tower was a shadowy figure standing gracefully atop the tip of the tower. Her hair flowed softly through the wind, but her irises glowed crimson red. The worst of it all was that she was staring directly at Mega Man Neo. He could feel the gaze she laid upon him, the feeling of coldness, desperation and... sorrow...?

The figure disappeared via a white teleportation beam. Mega Man Neo knew that he saw the girl but he didn't know what she was doing on top of the radio tower.

"Rokku," Mega spoke. Neo looked at the Combi-Carrier screen with a battle-worn face. Mega took note of his partner's demeanor, praising the new found skills he had in battle. "She has a similar aura as Magne when he had the Model W... I think she's related to everything that's happened in the past hour or so."

Mega Man Neo nodded in agreement. The kid felt tired after going through so much. He could barely hear the conversation that man and Magne were having. As the man helped Magne on his feet, he spoke.

"I felt like my soul was held captive... I don't know what happened to me... What has transpired while I was asleep...?" Magne asked a plethora of questions, but he received no answers for no one knew... Aside from Neo and Mega.

The man turned to Neo, but looking past him, he noticed the girl trembling horribly against the wall. His eyes widened as he gave Magne to a fellow soldier and ran to her.

"Oh no..!" The man said, holding onto the girl. "We need her on the ship for medical treatment, _immediately_!"

Mega Man Neo suddenly fell on his knee. Mega instantly expressed concern towards his friend.

"Rokku, what's the matter?" Mega asked him.

"I...I feel a little tired all of a sudden..." Neo said between breaths.

Mega felt worried about Neo since this was his first major battle. He didn't expect Neo to collapse like this but he thinks he knows why. "I see... I think it's because we're still getting used to megamerging... There were times when you felt tired during the training too..."

Neo just grinned. "W...We'll have to improve on getting used to being together, I guess..."

The modern Blue Bomber finally collapsed with his eyes struggling to stay open.

"Hey, Rokku, are you okay?" Mega asked. Neo just felt very tired and sleepy... " _HEY_! Earth to Rokku! Wake up!"

Despite Mega's cries, no one, aside from Neo, seemed to hear Mega's voice. Still, Neo could not get up.

"...Shoot... I think we might've overdone it...!" Mega said in concern. With how long they've fought, it was only logical that Neo was unable to get up despite his desire to do so.

Continuing his struggle to keep his eyes open, Neo caught a glimpse of brown boots in front of him. Suddenly, he was pulled to his feet by the man.

"...re...u..."

Neo could hardly comprehend what the man just said because of his sleepy atmosphere. The man turned to a female soldier that was on the scene and gave her some orders.

"...T...ke...m...to...he...ip...q...ning..."

The female nodded and held onto Mega Man Neo, making a small comment on how he was heavy.

Eventually, the hero succumbed to sleep, his eyes officially shut for a while. Not even Mega Man's loud screams are getting the teen to awake from his inevitable slumber.


	8. Chapter 7: Getting Well Acquainted

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 7 - Getting Well Acquainted

* * *

Mega Man Neo slowly opened his eyes to find himself in unfamiliar territory. Examining the room, he observed that he was in a small navy blue room with the single ceiling light above him illuminating the room. There was also a door and large landscape-sized window beside it.

Neo looked down to see that he was sitting down on a metallic chair. This was quite the uncomfortable chair...

"Nice to see you're finally awake."

Neo looked on his right wrist to see his Combi-Carrier. Mega was standing there inside the device with a deadpan look on his face. He appeared to have been waiting for his partner to awaken.

"Mega, where are we?" Neo asked, raising an eyebrow as he further scanned the rather empty room.

"Before you passed out, some military guys appeared and they took us to what I think is their base." Mega explained. "Looks like we're in an interrogation room..."

"An interrogation room...?!" Neo cried in shock.

Soon, the door turned on and slid open. Entering the room was a man with a yellow scarf around his neck. He carried a long black military staff and his hair and eyes shared the same color; Brown.

"Greetings stranger." The man greeted.

Neo looked at the man. Recalling Mega's explanation earlier, Neo could say for certain that this was the man he saw on the balcony before he passed out.

"...Who are you?" Neo asked, a bit of fear and uncertainty in his voice.

"I am General Payne. I am the leader of the Milos Defense Force." He introduced. "More importantly, who are _you_?"

The General walked around Neo, making the boy feel more uncomfortable than the chair he was sitting on. Mega whispered to his partner, saying _'stay calm'_. However, the whisper sounded like it was in Neo's head rather than out loud...

"I've received reports and comments about a mysterious _'blue armored kid'_ roaming the cities and destroying Mavericks. Most have dubbed you, the _'Blue Bomber'_." General Payne snuck a smile. He actually liked the name "Blue Bomber". It sounded like a typical superhero name but... _iconic_ in a way. "You were the one who fought the leader of Kairos City and destroyed every single Maverick in the city."

The General stopped in front of the hero, leaning towards him with a suspicious look on his face.

"Am I wrong?"

Neo's eyes widen in fear. He shook his head rapidly. "No-No! Th-That's me! The _'Blue Bomber'_! I saved the city!"

General Payne looked at Mega on the Combi-Carrier's screen. "Your little friend in there refused to answer any questions regarding you or your weaponry."

The General sat up, fixing his scarf into place. His gaze upon Neo was as sharp as a needle. It frightened the young hero. Mega, on the other hand, had a more concerned look on his face.

"Now that you are awake _'Blue Bomber'_ ," General Payne began. "Perhaps you may tell me about your armor."

Neo perked up upon the mention of his armor.

' _My armor?!'_ He thought, looking quite distressed from his current predicament.

"Your armor is very durable...at least according to the reports I've received. You also seem to have an Arm Cannon of some sort, inhabiting charging-capabilities. If used improperly, this cannon could destroy an entire airship with ease." Payne squinted at the boy. "You wield a dangerous power, boy. I insist that you tell me _**ALL**_ about the power you possess."

Mega looked at Neo and shook his head. Even if this man was an authority figure and thus should be respected, Neo and Mega could not simply tell him about such crucial information.

Something Mega noted was that many seem to assume that the armor is super strong. Neo received some hits from Maverick grunts like the Galleon but appeared to be unscathed. These were mere assumptions, however. Neo was quite weakened by the time he had reached Magne's office. It didn't help that the Rainbow Devil, the major threat, they encountered managed to do a number on Neo after it continued hounding him persistently throughout the castle.

Mega looked at the General and spoke for his partner who was unable to speak at the moment due to confusion and anxiety.

"I'm sorry General sir," Mega said folding his arms together. "But I cannot tell you about my- _OUR_ , power. Even _we_ don't have a full grasp on it so even if we wanted to tell you, we couldn't..."

"Y-Yeah!" Neo added, finally speaking up after building up enough courage. "We've been given this power to protect people and we swore to use it responsibly and for the good of mankind!"

Payne raised a brow. "Who gave you this power?"

Neo perked again and looked at Mega. Even the original Blue Bomber had a concerned look on his face. They both knew they couldn't speak of who was responsible for granting them such power.

In the end, Neo was the one to speak.

"We can't tell you that." Neo said, shaking his head.

"And _why_ not?" The General asked, his patience wearing thin.

"Because," Mega replied with a stern look on his face. "We can't."

"What secrets do you have to hide from the defenders of Europe?" The General asked, trying to hide his impatience.

"A lot of secrets." Mega answered, shaking his head. "I know this may be too much to ask given our current predicament but trust me when I say that me and my partner will be the defenders of not just Europe, but the _**entire world**_."

General Payne raised a brow upon hearing Mega's claim.

"Defenders of the entire world, eh?" The General mused. "You think it'll be that easy?"

"Of course not!" Neo retorted. "There will be some obstacles along the way, but we'll blast right through them!"

The General stroked his chin, squinting at the boy. Right then and there, he could tell that this child was still so young; talking about things that cannot be accomplished with ease. The boy says protecting the world won't be easy yet he talks about getting through obstacles as if they will be easy. He was childish, but the man could feel that this young boy meant those words...as naive as he sounded.

Payne has spent a lot of time trying to get some useful information out of the boy and the _"computer program"_ inside the device. They aren't very cooperative, especially the program inside.

However, there was one prominent mystery that he had yet to uncover: What race _was_ this "hero?"

"Blue Bomber," The General began. "Are you a _Human_ or a _Reploid_?"

"Human." Neo answered simply.

"Hmmm, I have a hard time believing that. A _VERY_ hard time." The General said, a small smile sneaking upon his face. "We've tried to remove your armor on multiple occasions and nothing would come off. You have to be a Reploid; a _special_ type of Reploid."

Neo, unfortunately, did not see what the General was trying to do. Truthfully, no one was able to remove a piece of his armor; not even the helmet as if it was glued to his head.

"You don't believe me?" Neo said. "Fine! I'll prove it to you!"

Immediately, Neo went for his helmet and took it off with his two hands easily, revealing his currently black, spiky hair. The General's eyes widened upon the sight.

"See? No Reploid mark! _I'm a Human_!" Neo said with a smug look.

Mega was greatly confused by this scene that had unfolded; more over the fact that Rokku had technically shown himself to a stranger. One of the points of using the helmet, aside from obvious protection, was to conceal the identity of Rokku Akihiro... Though at the same time, Rokku's messier hair (than usual) and blackened hair color made for a fine disguise. It almost made him look like a different person in some way.

The General took a small step forward, staring at Neo in awe. That cold and demanding exterior that was on the General had faded and a smile took its place. A small chuckle escaped him, eventually leading into full-blown laughter.

Neo looked at Mega, both boys sharing confusion.

"Oh ho ho ho!" The General roared. "It's Cass' boy!"

Neo's eyebrows were raised as were his eyes upon hearing mention of his mother's name. "You...Know my Mom?"

"Of course! She's my sister!" The General said, placing his hand on his forehead.

"Y-You're Rokku's Uncle!?" Mega exclaimed.

"Rokku? You mean _Rocky_ , right?"

"No, I mean Rokku." Mega replied.

The General stepped closer, examining Neo's hair. "What has happened to your hair?! It was once _brown_ before! Did you dye it!? Does Cass know?! Ugh, she used to go through similar phases when she was younger...!"

Neo chuckled nervously at the change in attitude from his supposed uncle. It was a great contrast to his intimidating speech and emotion. He found it humorous. "That's, uh, going to take some explaining..."

Guess the messier black hair wasn't that great of a disguise if the uncle was able to recognize his nephew like that...

* * *

Mega Man Neo was released from the interrogation room, but General Payne was right beside him. The young hero walked alongside the General, fixing his helmet into place.

"Do you not remember, nephew?" The General asked.

"U-Um, sorry, but could you refer to me as _'Neo'_ or _'The Blue Bomber'_?" Neo asked sheepishly. "I think it'd be weird if others knew that you're my uncle. B-Besides, secret identity and stuff..."

"Sure thing, Neo." The General said.

"Hey, your last name isn't _Payne_ is it?" Mega whispered.

"No. But I don't really wanna know what my last name is. Besides, I don't even know what my dad's last name is." Neo whispered back. Mega was visibly baffled that Rokku didn't know what his own father's last name was.

The General did not hear the two whisper, but he continued with his earlier question.

"But do you not remember?" The General repeated.

"Remember what?" Neo asked.

"You came to this base long ago. I suppose it wasn't the brightest idea to ask after so many years has passed by. You were but an infant after all." The General said, stroking his chin. "Has Cassandra ever told you how you were adopted?"

"Nuh-uh. I never thought about the 'how'" Neo replied, rubbing the back of his head (helmet).

"I was responsible for the arrangements that allowed you to be Cassandra and Joseph's son. You see, I was part of the military when my sister found you that day. She wanted to adopt you and I made it happen with some intense work." General Payne explained. "However, you..."

The General then sighed. "Actually, I think it's best to take this conversation to a more private setting..."

Neo looked at Mega and shrugged, unsure of what the General was getting at with that last part.

The two approached a large door with a keypad attached to the wall beside it, acting as a function to open the door. The General brought out a key card from his coat pocket and scanned it across the key pad's scanner. The door immediately opened with a _WHOOSH_ , allowing the hero and the General to enter.

General Payne held onto Neo's shoulder, presenting to him this particular location of the base.

"This is the _Central Sector_ of the Milos Force HQ." General Payne announced.

It was much more lively than that interrogation room, complete with soldiers in sky blue uniforms. The basic design was a sky blue vest with white edges, most with shoulder pads, white leg armor, and sky blue and white boots or shoes. Most wore a sky blue helmet that had a yellow line going down the middle and most had a yellow visor attachment. It seemed that females wore shorts, the same color as their vests, and lacked leg armor. Their vests also were either short or long-sleeved, unlike the males who's vests were either long or no-sleeved.

Their races varied between Humans and Reploids. Many carried white buster-rifle firearms containing plasma energy, as do most firearms in the world.

As Neo walked beside General Payne through the area, he gained a few stares. Neo felt nervous despite most of the soldiers looking pretty friendly. The hero stopped in front of a door that had a large clear window beside it, similar to the interrogation room. The door was still located in the same area, but it was set on the top right corner.

The General pressed his finger upon the small red button that was below some speakers but above a keypad.

" _Jessie_ , may I have a word with you?" General Payne asked through the speaker.

Suddenly, a female head popped up through the window. She shrieked and hopped on her feet, immediately pressing a button within the room. The door slid open and revealed a girl looking about 17. She had short but slightly messy orange hair, side bangs that went down to her chin. from each side. She wore a sky blue baseball cap with the Milos Defense Force logo on the front side of the cap. On top of the cap was a large timber-wolf colored visor with orange lenses.

She had brown eyes. A few black marks were found on her face, looking as if the silky skinned girl was working on something mechanical. She wore a different uniform than most other females. She wore a short, opened sky blue jacket with short sleeves. She also had on an orange shirt... which had black spots on that like her face. She wore a different bodysuit than others in the base. Hers was short sleeved, including her legs, revealing her silky skin. She wore large brown gloves with a brown wristband on each of her wrists. She wore white pants with a black belt keeping it up and typical sky blue shoes, the same design as what most of the people in the world wear.

The girl had a large amount of sweat sliding down her left cheek as she grinned sheepishly.

"H-Hello General Payne sir!" The girl greeted, rubbing the back of her head.

The General stood up straight with his hands behind his back, still holding onto that cane of his.

"Hello. Jessie, I'd like you to meet Neo, the Blue Bomber." Payne introduced, patting the hero's back.

Jessie's eyes beamed with delight as she stared at the blue hero before her.

"Ahh! It's the Blue Bomber I've heard so much about!" Jessie squealed.

Neo smiled sheepishly, chuckling a little in pride.

"And so it begins... The praise from the citizens~" Mega Man whispered to Neo, folding his arms with a smile. "You've got a growing fanbase~"

He too recalled having citizens be very delighted to meet the hero of his city, Mega City, a metropolis renamed after the hero for his various good deeds. Of course, that was all in his time in the 21st Century. Mega smiled more as he recalled the good times of his past.

"Neo, this is Jessie, the military's major navigator and also a specialist in technology, robotics, and digital networking." The General explained. "Don't let her looks and voice fool you. She's the youngest member of my crew. She's 15 years old and a well-respected prodigy."

"Nice to meet you Neo!" Jessie greeted, offering her hand.

Neo immediately took Jessie's hand and gripped it. "You too!"

"You look so cool! I saw some of the footage Mr. Magne provided for us! You fought those Mavericks like they were nothing!" Jessie cried.

"I am glad you have taken a liking to Neo, Jessie, and I'm sure you will get along well with him, but there is more to be done involving Kairos City's young hero." General Payne said, placing a hand on Neo's shoulder. "It would assume you are still working on my "request"?"

"U-Um, yessir!" She answered quickly. "I shall be done with it in...maybe 5, 8 minutes?"

"Good. I'll be back shortly to retrieve you. For now, finish my request." The General said.

"Very well. I will most certainly see you again, Blue Bomber!" Jessie beamed.

"Y-Yeah, we will!" Neo replied.

The General motioned Neo to follow him out of this area and into another.

"She's really nice." Neo squeaked as he walked into a long corridor, also clad in navy blue with few lights.

"Yes, I wanted you to get acquainted with Navigator Jessie, since she is around your age. After all, you are 14 right?" General Payne asked.

"Actually, _13_. My Birthday was two weeks ago." Neo corrected.

"Well then, Happy Belated Birthday. I realize that I have not been in your life very much for I have missed far too many of your Birthdays." General Payne said, hiding his regrets. "My duty as the commander of the Milos Defense Force takes a lot of my time. I rarely get any time to spend with my dear sister and the rest of my family."

"It's fine, really!" Neo cried, trying to cheer up his uncle. "Weirdly enough, Cynthia didn't mention you."

"Cynthia? Ahh haha... I'm glad that she hasn't." General Payne said with a prideful smile. "She secretly works for me as a major researcher as well as my eyes and ears in various sections of the Enstratos Region."

"Seriously?! Cynthia's a secret agent!?" Neo exclaimed.

The General immediately placed a hand over the hero's mouth, an invisible scribble appearing above his head, expressing irritation.

"Yes, but there's a reason there's the word _'Secret'_ before _'Agent'_." The General groaned.

Once he was able to speak again, Neo did. Sweat slid down his cheek in embarrassment, shrugging. "Oh right. Sorry."

The General sighed as he continued walking alongside his nephew. "Rok- Neo, you hold onto dangerous power yet you are committed to holding onto this power to protect innocents. With this _great power_ inevitably comes _great responsibility_."

Neo found himself a little nervous upon hearing his uncle speak seriously right now. He had to pay close attention.

...Though, it was kinda hard to take this as seriously as he needed to take it when his uncle said a line that sounded like it came straight from some superhero comic book...

"Do not feel as if I do not trust you with this power. I just want to ensure you understand how important this is. It's not every day someone is bestowed upon the power you possess. Something like that generally comes about in fiction." The General said as he stopped before another door at the end of the corridor.

"Heh Heh! Come on! With androids living on Earth like us Humans, _ANYTHING_ is possible!" Neo chuckled.

The General smiled at his nephew. Still quite naive, but still optimistic. "I suppose it is."

General Payne paused for a brief moment before speaking again. "Rokku, do you recall speaking to a girl during the _Maverick Attack_ earlier?"

Neo placed a finger on his chin while his fist was placed on his hip. He had to think about it for a bit. "A girl...? Hmm... Yeah, there was this one girl I saved in the city... But there was also this other girl who was in Magne's Office when I got to the top of Ultime! She looked pretty hurt when I got there! Is she okay?!"

"Yes, she is. Beyond this door is where you'll find her." The General said. "I want you to know that you have rescued a very important girl."

General Payne pressed a button beside the door, sliding it open. The two entered inside to find the girl sitting on a silver bench beside a male and female soldier.

The male had short military-esque black hair and a rough goatee. His eyes were green and he looked like he was between 20 and 30. He wore a unique helmet that had a large upside-down purple triangle gem on the face of the helmet. It had beams that connected at the chin, creating a chin-guard of some sort. His color scheme was not sky blue, but a darker shade of blue, almost the same as Mega Man Neo's color.

He had on a vest with large silver shoulder pads. He also had large gauntlets and black gloves with white fingertips. Attached to his right gauntlet arm was a currently closed wrist blade. While not made of concentrated energy like an energy-saber, it was made of an alloy that could break Ceratanium. The blade, if brought out, was 5 inches long.

He wore baggy pants and large boots. Also wore a black bodysuit. He looked like someone of superiority.

The female had long cyan hair tied into a small ponytail. She did not wear a helmet like the majority of the females in the base, but she did have large black earpieces with a sharp piece at the top of the circular plate, looking like it attached to her hair. She had purple eyes, looking quite beautiful and looked well on her.

She wore the same vest as everyone else, but she had a skirt instead of shorts. She had long boots as well. She had a no-sleeved bodysuit (had long legs, however), but she wore elbow-length fingerless gloves, revealing her actual fingers instead of the usual white fingertips that most gloves had.

Upon hearing the door open, the male and female soldier, as well as the girl, looked over the door's direction, seeing Neo and the General enter.

" _Major Trottel_ ," The General said as he nodded to the male soldier. The man stood straight and stared at his superior.

" _First Lieutenant August_ ," The General said as he nodded to the female soldier. The woman stood straight and stared at her superior.

The girl's eyes widened at Neo. She had a white bandage on her right cheek and a bit of tape around her waist, but her clothes hid that part.

"If you are wondering about her condition, fret not." Trottel spoke. "She is completely fine _Markos_."

Neo raised his eyebrow comically, looking at his uncle. " _Markos_?"

"That's my first name. Considering Cass hasn't mentioned me, I imagine she never told you, no?" The General asked Neo. "My full name is _Markos Payne_."

"You know I would much prefer if you called me _'General'_ or even _'Payne'_ or maybe _'General Payne'_ Major Trottel." The General said to the Major.

"Ah, sorry about that." Trottel replied with a mock apologetic tone.

The General sighed and pointed his hand at the girl. "Neo, I would like you to meet _Sayaka Takeda_ , daughter of _Zen Takeda_ who is President of the _Hikari Corporation_ , a company located in Tokyo, Japan."

"Please, General... Call me Saya." Saya said with a huff.

Neo waved excitedly at Saya. "Hi-ya...!"

Saya hopped on her feet. She walked over to the boy and leaned in, prompting the hero to lean back to get some distance. He certainly wasn't expecting her to observe him. She had her hands on her hips and a look of uncertainty.

"You were the one who helped me and Magne..." Saya said in realization.

"Yep, that's me! The Blue Bomber!" Neo confirmed, grinning nervously.

"I finally get the chance to thank the great hero..." Saya leaned back and smiled gently. "Thank you, Blue Bomber."

Neo grinned in pride, chuckling a little. The General found the boy to be getting a little too arrogant but he would let him have his moment.

"...But I swear, I've seen you before! Who **_ARE_** you?" Saya demanded, crossing her arms and frowning.

The General stepped forward to speak for Neo. "I can explain that, but soon. First, I need Jessie here."

"Why didn't we ask her to come with us when we met her a few minutes ago?" Neo asked, extremely confused. Apparently, he hadn't really heard the conversation earlier...

"Because I asked her to do a favor for me prior to this. She appeared to be in the process of that favor at the time. However, I am sure she is done by now..." The General turned around to open the door again. "I will return momentarily."

With that, the General left and a hush falls over the room.

Major Trottel decided to break the silence by greeting Neo. "Greetings, hero of Kairos City. I am Major Trottel. I am the Weapon Specialist of the army."

"And I am August. I am a Weapon Developer. All Firearms you see here are developed by me." August greeted, placing a hand against her heart.

"Nice to meet you all!" Neo greeted back.

The General returned back with Jessie by her side as promised.

"Oh, the Blue Bomber is here too!" Jessie exclaimed.

"That was pretty quick." Mega said to Neo.

"Yeah, no kidding." He replied with a snicker.

General Payne sealed the door shut, placing a lock on it. He then turned to the others sternly just as Jessie found her seat beside Trottel. "There is a very special reason I have brought you all here. Each of you, excluding Neo and Saya and... the " _Computer Program_ " residing in that device, are my most trusted allies within the Milos Force. What I have to say is very secretive and does not leave this room unless I say otherwise. Do I make myself clear?"

Trottel, August and Jessie nodded. The General turned to Neo. "Now, I think it's time you reveal who you are. Please, take off the armor if you would."

Neo was taken aback by this request. To take off his armor would mean he would have to reveal himself! He looked at Mega who too was concerned about the situation. Neither of them had anticipated something like this. They never even _thought_ about ever doing something like this!

The others were staring at him, waiting for him to do as the General asked. They made the boy even more nervous than needed.

"Do not be afraid, nephew. These are your allies. They can be trusted, that I can assure you." The General said to him, smiling just a little.

"Nephew?" Jessie inquired, tilting her head. Trottel and August looked at each other, already seeing what was coming. Jessie beamed like a geek, placing her hands over her mouth. Saya's eyes slowly widened as she had come to the same realization as the Major, First Lieutenant, and Navigator.

With the General giving him his word, Neo sighed heavily. He looked at Mega with confirmation since he had a part in this decision too. The ancient one nodded with a smile.

"Let's do it." Mega said.

Neo sighed again and stood straight. After a few seconds of silence, his body began to shine. Pieces of his armor became bright blue digital particles, forming a trail that seemed to build up next to the boy. Those particles were slowly forming a human-like figure. However, the audience did not see this. All they saw was a slightly instantaneous flash of light and saw that the General's nephew was no longer Mega Man Neo, but rather, Rokku. The figure next to him was Rock Light...AKA, Mega Man, dressed in his slightly upgraded combat armor to match this timeline.

Everyone, including the General himself, gasped at the sight.

"Your...Your Computer Program materialized into the real world..." General Payne muttered.

"Excuse me but I am not a Computer Program. I am an upgraded Reploid." Mega explained, placing a hand against his chest. "I have the unique ability to transform my entire body into Program Data and fuse with my partner."

The General coughed a little upon hearing Mega's explanation. "Y-Yes... Then what is your name?"

Mega turned to the General. "Do I have your word that what is said in this room _stays_ in this room? My answer is very secretive and is supposed to stay between me and your nephew."

"Yes. I made that clear in the beginning." The General said, sounding normal again.

"If that is the case, then allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rock Light, but many best know me as **Mega Man**."

Mega Man expected to hear loud gasps coming from everyone, but he heard no such thing. This confused the ancient one greatly. Then again, Ciel is the only one who knows of his origin. Rokku only knows because Ciel spoke about it.

"Mega Man, eh?" Trottel said, stroking his chin. "Such a... _Odd_ name."

"It sounds like a superhero name if you ask me~!" Jessie said with glee.

"Oh come on! I thought you guys would be more excited and surprised! Especially you, Uncle!" Rokku cried, spreading out his arms in annoyance and shock. Rokku knows a lot about ancient history, mostly because of his family history. There were some things that Rokku weren't told about and he had assumed that the General, a member of Rokku's family, would know about Mega. However, it was a huge shock to see that his uncle was unaware of who the hero before him was. "This is **MEGA MAN** , the ancient hero who fought tirelessly against his foes who threatened the planet!"

"I don't think they understand, ehehe." Mega said with a smile...he also blushed about Rokku praising him. It was...nice. "Let me explain. You see, I am a robot born in the 21st Century, an era where robots did not have the capabilities that a Reploid has, meaning they cannot think independently. During that year, I fought against an evil man and other enemies who attacked innocent people and corrupted innocent robots. Surely, you guys know a _little_ history about the days of old?"

Trottel, August, and Jessie shook their heads.

"Sorry kiddo, I can't say I have." Trottel admitted.

"Many have said that there are centuries of lost history, but since there isn't proof, people cannot say what has happened." August said. "People only spread rumors about the lost history and they choose whether or not to believe them."

"There have been tales of robots like you have described Mega Man, but like August said, history like that has been lost. I have a strong feeling that the Sage Trinity down at Legion HQ knows about history like this. However, even if they did know about it, they more than likely will not reveal such history to the public." The General said, his grip firm on his staff.

"Well, what Mega Man is saying is true! C'mon! You've got living proof right here~!" Rokku exclaimed with a smile.

"While we are on the topic of "history", allow me to explain why I brought you all here." The General said. He began to walk over to a swivel chair and motions Rokku and Mega Man to find a seat of their own. The General placed his staff down beside him, right next to the desk and large computer monitor. Rokku and Mega sat beside Saya. With an annoyed look upon realizing Rokku sat next to her, she slightly scooted over. Rokku was completely unaware of her expression and action.

"Jessie. Saya. It is important that you know that I, as a human being, do not have mechanical parts integrated into me." The General says.  
[Continue]  
Saya and Jessie gasp upon this realization. Mega Man was a little surprised, while Rokku didn't seem all that surprised, especially when he knows that most of his family members don't have mechanical parts integrated into them; himself included. Trottel and August, however, remain calm.

"But-That means you are breaking the-"

The General raised his hand, interrupting Saya. "Yes, I am fully aware of what it means for me, a Human, to not have robotic parts. It means I am breaking the law. Rokku is in the same situation as me."

Saya rose to her feet, clenching her fists. "That is **wrong**! You have to get these parts just like every other Human!"

"Takeda, I will have to ask you to sit back down." The General said to the girl his stern eyes piercing her agitated ones. The girl followed his orders; fearfully but still irritated.

"There is a reason I..." The General paused for a moment. " _Rokku_ and _I_ are breaking the law. Just know that everything is under control."

"Does Legion know?" Saya asked, crossing her arms. The General did not answer.

"Do not worry about that. Just know that everything is under control." Trottel repeated.

Saya turned to Trottel and August. "Wait, are you implying that you _both_ knew?!"

"Yes, they know." General Payne said. "They are my most trusted allies."

"He told this to us almost 2 years ago." August confirmed. "We kept silent under his orders."

"That's...Um...Wow..." Jessie was at a loss of words at the revelation. She then looked at Rokku in awe. She guessed the Blue Bomber was young but... She wasn't expecting him to be _this_ young looking.

"But enough about that for now." The General had gotten a little off track with this secret meeting. With the unexpectedness of Mega Man's appearance and explaining to Jessie and Saya about the fact that he and Rokku were lacking mechanical implants. It was about time he got things back on track.

The General placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder before continuing on. "I think it's time I properly introduce you to the "hero". This boy is my nephew, Rokku. As you saw, he is Neo, the Blue Bomber."

Everyone looked at Rokku, causing the boy to wave his hand nervously. "Hey..." He felt...naked without the armor on. Then again, it has been some time since he was out of the armor. He's been in the armor for...hours.

"This...This _kid_ is the hero?!" Saya exclaimed, sounding disgusted.

"I'll have you know that Rokku is the same age as you, Takeda. He's even older than you by a few months." The General said with a stern look again. "He is a _warrior_ , a _fighter_ , a _hero_ and as such, you will treat him with respect. Your father would want you to do that. Am I wrong?"

"You...! ...No, you aren't wrong..." Saya answered, settling down.

"Rokku is my nephew and is a part of a large family," General Payne continued. "My family has extensive knowledge about the days of old, including all the wars that have transpired over the centuries. Most of the history that is lost to the rest of the world is not lost to us."

"Oh sir, can you tell us about some of the events!?" Jessie asked, sounding frantic yet excited. "I heard so much about this event called the _Elf Wars_ and I wanna know if it ever happened! If it did, what was going on!?"

"Hmhm, calm down Jessie." The General said with a small smile. "I will reveal them at a later time, but what I want you to know right now is that Rokku and his partner, Mega Man, are going to be very essential to protecting this world."

General Payne looked at the duo. "If you two would, can you tell us who made your device if you know? Anything about the technology and alloy used for it? Fear not, everything that is being said will be kept secret, I assure you."

Mega looked at Rokku. It was decided that the original Blue Bomber would take lead on everything that's about to be discussed. "I'm really sorry, but there are some secrets that can't be shared. There is _someone_ who made our device, but telling you who made it is out of the question."

" _Awwwwww!_ Really?!" Jessie groaned in disappointment.

"What do you mean?" General Payne asked, sounding a little irritated.

"Please understand, sir. It's not that I... _We_ , do not trust you! It's just that we made a very important promise to someone not to tell anyone...! If this information got released, then..." Mega Man struggled to get the correct words out. He composed himself and spoke once more. "...Just please...I hope you understand, sir."

The General groaned but then sighed. "I...I suppose we can drop it... Some secrets just cannot be shared. I of all people should understand that."

"However, I can explain our fusion technique as well as a little bit about the technology. I think it's harmless to explain just a little bit." Mega Man said with a smile.

"Then, by all means, go right ahead." General Payne says.

Mega Man nodded and began his explanation. "The device on Rokku's wrist is called the _Combination-Carrier_ , or _Combi-Carrier_ for short. Based on the name alone, you can assume that..."

As Mega Man explained, holding up Rokku's wrist to show everyone the device, Saya had both of her hands on her cheeks. She was deep in thought as she stared mindlessly at the device with an agitated expression.

 _'I can't believe the hero of Kairos City is...Is this boy! To make matters worse, he's breaking the law! The General of the Milos Defense Force, defenders of Europe, is breaking the law! How can he expect me to be so calm about this!? This is serious! If any of them get caught, who knows what Legion will do to them! ...Then again, they've survived this long... So I suppose they'll only get caught if someone tells on them...'_

Saya blinked at the General. She had practically drowned out Mega Man's voice because she was thinking so much.

 _'...But I can't be the one to tell on them... Besides, they said it's under control... M-Maybe Legion already knows and they have some really secret plan or something! Yeah, that's gotta be it! I mean, the General is strict on protecting Europe from Mavericks! He must care about everyone! According to father, the General tends to go to Legion because they hold a lot for meetings and stuff like that, so he has to be trustworthy!'_

Saya looks at Rokku with a bored glare. She observed the young teenagers facial features. He looked almost as young as Mega Man beside him, but just a tad bit older. He looked so lively and innocent but... Something about him bugged the heck out of her.

 _'...But then there's Rokku over here... When I first met him, he bumped into me at Kairos City's Lake in the park...! I knew I've seen him before! I just knew it! I can't believe he's the Blue Bomber, the one who fought Mavericks so skillfully and beat Magne! Someone like him can't possibly be THAT skilled in combat! ...Could it be Mega Man? Could he be the true hero here? That sounds more believable... This Rokku guy couldn't possibly fight like that without him... But then again, I'll never know unless I ask... Mega Man is sitting right there after all.'_

"Oh Mega Man, can I ask you a question?" Saya asked with a smile.

Mega Man looked at Saya upon hearing her interrupt his explanation of the Combi-Carrier. "Yeah, ask away."

"Do you mind explaining your fusion now?" Saya asked kindly.

"I was getting to that." Mega smiled. "You see, whenever me and Rokku need to fuse, I transform into Program Data and enter the Combi-Carrier. From there, the armor forms around him as well as the weaponry. It's a strange transformation, but if you watch...Um, what's it called... Ah, I remember! If you watch those _Super Sentai_ shows you'll understand better."

Everyone, save for Jessie and, obviously, Rokku, had no idea what "Super Sentai" was. They did not question it though.

"Anyway, when I fuse with Rokku, he utilizes my weapons and abilities." Mega continued.

Saya smirked. _'Aha! So this boy has no skills on his own after all! He's just like any other teenage boy around here!'_

" _However_ , Rokku has been able to adapt my skills and make it his own. In fact, he's been able to do some things that I wouldn't be able to do. His fighting skills are just a little bit more advanced and different than my own. His smart mind also helps too, since he's adapting to my abilities much faster than Ci... _I_ predicted!" Mega said, catching himself. He _could not_ breathe a _word_ of Ciel's name!

"Ever since we fused, I could fight like I'm some video game character and it's AWESOME!" Rokku cried, shaking his fists in excitement. "I could finally do a real Dragon Punch~!"

Saya frowned and leaned her cheek on her hand. _'I guess he has a LITTLE skill... I guess...'_

"...So basically, this device is an alternate version of a Biometal." Mega finished.

" _ **Biometal**_..." General Payne muttered, stroking his chin. Jessie even shifted upon hearing that name, looking at the General anxiously. "That's a name I've heard so much about..."

"Really?" Rokku asked.

"It all starts with the Model W, a dangerous contraption that attacked Cinq Ville in America."

"Some say that the Biometal steals souls." Trottel added. "Personally, I don't believe that. It sounds like a load of-"

"But you've heard what Legion told us," August said to Trottel with a stern look. "According to the mission report given to them by _The Guardians_ , the Model W, in particular, is responsible for turning innocents into cyber-elves to feed on them. It was also responsible for the large mass of Mavericks. After it's destruction, the numbers decreased quickly... Though, many still lurk about like predatory wild animals..."

"Although there have been no signs of any Model W fitting Legion's description," said General Payne. "We stay vigilant. Who knows what will happen if any of us come across it."

" _Hold on_ , what was the description of the Model W?" Mega Man asked.

The General turned to the ancient one. "They described it as " _large white structures with a large red core"_. This device obviously exists, for a few townspeople at Cinq Ville's **Area C** have seen it for themselves."

"Well, there appear to be two different variations of the Model W..." Mega Man said.

"Explain." The General requested, intrigued by Mega's words.

"When me and Rokku fought Magne, he was being controlled by a smaller Model W. It was that same Model W that caused him to transform. After all, it's been said that the Model W can corrupt others... ' _At least, according to Ciel...'_ " Mega explained and thought. "The Model W that Legion describes and the Model W that we saw is but different variations: A smaller version; an "offspring", which looks more like a Biometal, and a large version; the real deal."

Mega looked at the General with a stern expression. "Judging how the Model W in Cinq Ville was the primary cause of a lot of Maverick attacks in the entire city as well as areas surrounding it, I'd like to think that the Model W that Legion describes is some type of _Core_ ; a _**Model W Core**_ if you will."

"A Model W Core..." The General repeated. "Your hypothesis sounds accurate, but obviously, there must be more than just one Model W Core."

"There could be, but I can't say for certain." Mega Man shrugged. "I'm just piecing together the stories you told me and what we've seen. After all, the Model W Magne held onto was capable of creating hundreds of the Mavericks with ease. It seems that even the smaller variations are just as dangerous as the Model W Core..."

General Payne sighed heavily. "Good... Good... It seems that we are getting a bit of a grasp of this Model W..."

Saya was able to listen in on most of the conversation, but based on what Mega Man just explained, she was a little frightened. _'A device that makes Mavericks...? Things are just getting worse... It's bad enough father didn't want me to go to America, but now I'm hearing that this Model W is making these Mavericks go wild in that continent?! What if it happens to Tokyo?! Or worse, the entirety of ASIA?!'_

Saya then takes a quick look at Rokku who was looking very focused as Mega Man and co. provided each other with information on the Model W. _'But wait a second! Rokku a-and Mega Man! They can fuse together to transform into Neo! They said they fought off the Mavericks, so we should be okay! But then there's also the warriors who stopped Serpent and caused the Slither Inc. Corporation to cease! They too can stop the Mavericks! Maybe there's hope after all!'_

"Anyway, I think that's all for today." The General said standing up. "Takeda, you are to stay in this base until your father tells me otherwise."

Saya turned to the General, her thoughts interrupted. "Y-Yes sir...!"

"Trottel. August. Continue to look after the girl. Jessie, Rokku and... Mega, follow me." The General instructed.

"Yes sir!" Jessie saluted.

Once the four left the room, Trottel and August went towards the computer, while Saya sat on the bench alone.

"Tell me something; What do you think of that Rokku guy?" Saya asked.

Trottel and August looked at each other before looking at Saya.

"Outside his armor, he looks and acts like any other teenage boy his age. But with that armor on, he looks and acts like a warrior." Trottel said, clenching his fists.

"I think he takes after his father despite being adopted..." August said, sweat sliding down her cheek after hearing Trottel's thoughts. "...He sounds adventurous and he looks quite handsome for his age... Albeit, a little childish if you ask me. I believe he and Mega Man will be fine together."

Trottel's combat-spirited face turned into a serious face. "But more important matters abound right now... What are we going to do about the Model W?"

"We will continue to protect and serve; That's our job." August answered simply. "If we get any news about the Model W, we _will_ be ready."

Saya watched anxiously as Trottel and August talked about the Model W. Hearing that topic again brought fear into her heart. She hoped that heroes like Neo could truly defeat such a powerful entity.

To think, she would be caught in such a dangerous situation...and all of this when her birthday is _tomorrow_.

This was _fun_.

* * *

After they left the room, General Payne asked Rokku and Mega to fuse once more. The rest of the crew were unaware of the fact that Neo was the result of two people fusing and it was best to keep it that way for a while. They complied without a fuss.

General Payne led Neo and Jessie back to the central sector of the base, having concluded giving Neo a tour of the base. It wasn't complete yet for there were some places he could not give a tour to due to...circumstances. He smiled at his nephew as he clasped his hands behind his back once more.

"So, how was the tour thus far?" The General asked.

"Pretty cool if you ask me! It's funny, even though I was a baby when you took me here, I'm starting to remember some of these places!" Neo beamed.

"I must've of been only 2 when you were given a tour!" Jessie said. "Wow, time sure flies by huh?"

"Yes, Jessie," General said smiling. "Yes it does."

Out of seemingly nowhere, two soldiers approached the General. They looked very worried and distraught.

"G-General Payne, sir!" Soldier One saluted.

"What is going on?" General Payne asked.

"S-Sir!" Soldier Two began. "There is a critical situation going on in the _Forest of Voreius_! They are under attack by Mavericks!"

"Hgn... I see..." The General groaned.

"What's the Forest of Voreius?" Mega asked.

"A forest that has existed since the Neo Arcadian War." The General explained.

"During that same war, there were four forests: The Forest of Dysis, "West Forest", the Forest of Anatre, "East Forest", the Forest of Notus, "South Forest", and finally, the Forest of Voreius, "North Forest". Each of these forests holds ancient ruins. Of course, as years went by, the Mavericks overran these locations, making traversing through these ancient grounds dangerous and impossible without proper weaponry and battle experience."

"So, they are practically like death traps?" Mega inquired.

"Yes, you can think of it like that." The General answered.

"But, why are your soldiers in that forest?" Neo asked his uncle.

"They were sent to search for the source of an energy signature Jessie picked up approximately 18 hours ago." The General explained. "The energy signature is similar to the ones that The Guardians had picked up during their fight in America. It's possibly a Model W of some sort..."

"We have been receiving hourly updates," Jessie added. "But it's been 2 hours since the last update..."

"Hmm..." The General looks at his nephew with a smile, causing the boy to get confused and start looking around nervously. "Soldiers, get some rest. I'll send in backup right away."

The two soldiers nodded and went to the medic. General Payne smiled at the hero. "Neo, I have a request to ask of you two..."

* * *

 **July 16, 25XX**

In but a few hours, the sun would set.

While in Leo Square, Shade had found an airship belonging to the Hunter's Guild. It was parked on the docking port nearby a shop where the Hunters were staying at. Though it was strange that an airship from America would be here in Europe, she wasn't complaining. She had been traveling for days on foot. She needed faster transportation to find who she was looking for.

The ravenette thought about how she was even brought herself to seek fast transportation. Earlier, she had the _pleasure_ of meeting an enigmatic man...

Shade panted heavily as she grasped her arm. She glared angrily at a black armored opponent who wore a torn up black cloth that served as some form of a cape. The opponent was also a bit wounded from their battle moments ago.

"W...Who is this again...?" She breathed.

Before this day, she did not know who this man was. However, she knew who she was now. However, this man had information that intrigued her.

"Mega Man." He answered. "He is an android from the 21st Century. He is one of the predecessors to reploids and was bound to the laws of robotics. However, he returns now, in the 26th Century and he's since been upgraded to a reploid."

"..." Shade was speechless.

"I find it surprising that although you are one of _them_ ,you were unaware of this project; Especially since you are the oldest." The figure spoke.

"T-Tch..."

"Nonetheless, an incident caused him to be lost. From what I am told, he's now working with a human host. They have successfully megamerged if I'm correct. They call him... **Mega Man Neo**." He stated.

"What...? The human and Mega Man megamerged...?" Shade said in disbelief. "To become...Mega Man Neo...?"

"That's right. Rumor has it that a "blue armored hero" took down a couple of Mavericks and saved Kairos City. I can only assume that was Neo. I intend on meeting him myself." The figure said sternly. "Knowing you, you want to meet him as well. However, I need to see him first."

"...Why are you telling me all of this?" Shade asked.

The figure walked past her, closing his eyes. "Because you broke ties with them. I won't quite rob you of your chance to find someone to help you."

Shade's eyes widened. This man knew she desired to find a partner.

"You'll just have to wait until I'm done with him." With that, the figure teleported out of the area, leaving Shade alone in the wilderness...

Shade clenched her teeth as she recalled the conversation she had with that man. She needed to get to Mega Man Neo before her opponent. Unfortunately, he had the advantage due to the fact that he seemed to know where Neo was and he apparently had portable transerver that allowed him to teleport out of the area. That man knew much more than she did about Neo and that fact alone is what irritated the kunoichi.

If there was one thing she knew is that she had made it to Europe when she encountered the man. Kairos City is nearby. If this hero showed up when there was a large number of Mavericks then she would likely find the hero she sought out.

She wasted no time sneaking into the airship while the Hunters talked among themselves. Strangely, not a single one watched as she climbed the ladder leading into the ship. Though the ravenette made it inside without being detected, she found one particular Hunter sipping coffee and sitting before the control panel. He put the coffee down and sighed while relaxing peacefully.

Without much thought, Shade reached around and covered his mouth with her left hand and used the two fingers of her right hand to press them against his neck. Immediately after doing so, the Hunter screamed very briefly in surprise before passing out. Before passing out the Hunter had felt waves of jolts throughout his body; However, it was painless, though surprising.

Shade knew there was a reason as to why this Hunter was in here by himself. He was the one responsible for powering this airship on. As such, he would hold the key to making this ship fly. Shade swiped the key as well as his ID from his belt and proceeded to drag him out towards an open window. Though it was kinda messed up, she tossed him out of the window and he fell on the boardwalk.

The other Hunters were too far away to see or hear their fellow comrade be tossed overboard, giving Shade the advantage. With everything in order, Shade placed the key in the control panel and the airship started to power on. The moment the airship rose above ground, the other Hunters took notice and chased after the airship, believing their comrade was leaving without them. This belief was shut down when they saw him passed out on the ground.

Shade had succeeded in acquiring highly useful transportation that would be beneficial in her search. This airship had Maverick detection, so she could potentially find the hero if there's a swarm of Mavericks in a particular area.

However, Shade was no fool. This was an official airship from the Hunter's Guild. Likely, someone would be following her with the tracking module active. She went to deactivate the tracking module so that she wouldn't have the Hunters' allies after her or the ship. With the Hunter's ID, she successfully deactivated the tracking. She was now safe to go after him...

...Mega Man Neo...

* * *

"I'm glad we got to learn more about Biometal, sir." Jessie said to General Payne as they walked down the stairs, getting lower into the military base.

"I am also glad..." General Payne agreed. He opened the door which led the two to a small lab area. "However, I think we could learn more..."

"The talk about Biometal has got me thinking..."

Jessie looked at her leader and then at a capsule with a strange small metal green object within it. "Sir... Do you think this...is Biometal?"

The General looked at the metal object and nodded. "Based on the description, I'd like to think that this is a Biometal. It seems that _the scientist's_ words were to be believed..."

The General looked intently at the Biometal and massaged his chin with the palm of his hand. "It was a good thing we retrieved this item from those Raiders. They would've sold it to someone petty."

"Soon, we must travel to Japan to see her again. She'll know what to do with this."

"Are we bringing your nephew with us?" Jessie asked.

General Payne remained silent before he cracked a smile. "Of course. He knows as much about Biometal as the doctor does."


	9. Chapter 8: Attack of the Ancient Warhead

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 8 - Attack of the Ancient Warhead!

* * *

"Mom, I want to become a Hunter!"

Kirby stared at her daughter in awe. The two were in their kitchen, talking. Kirby was backed into the wall just from hearing her daughter's wish. It made her head light, but she held on. Why was she talking about such a _dangerous_ career?!

"A H-Hunter!?" Kirby exclaimed in shock. "What are you talking about!?"

"I'm talking about becoming a Hunter, Mom!" Elise said, curling her fists together. "I want go out and see the world and collect money for us! I want to go on adventures...Like Rokku!"

Kirby sighed and placed a hand on her forehead. "You're being crazy, Elise..."

"No I'm not!" Elise cried. "I've told you in the past that I wanted to go out, away from Neo Giga City! I want a change of scenery!"

"But... Becoming a Hunter... That's too dangerous and you're too young...!" Kirby said to her daughter.

"Too young!? There are Hunters who are, like, 5 years old!" Elise said.

Kirby said nothing for a moment; But only for a moment. It is true that her daughter has talked about wanting to go to other places around the world, but with multiple Maverick incidents occurring more and more as of late, Kirby found it difficult to leave Neo Giga City; Their safe place. She has heard of the recent news of Cinq Ville in America being under attack by Mavericks and, more importantly, Serpent, the President of the now deceased company, Slither Inc. That area was lucky to have the Guardians there to put a stop to that mad man. However, she has also heard news of Tera City being attacked by Mavericks as well, though the damage to the city was surprisingly minimal despite what was going on. Rumors have spread that a warrior in blue was the one to save the citizens of the city as well as the leader of Unity, Magne. They call him "the _Blue Bomber_ ". Such a strange name, yet Kirby found warmth inside her heart when she hears that title. It was like a contagious disease that brought a smile onto one's face when they hear that name, "the _Blue Bomber_ "...

It is rather odd that nations are being saved by "heroes". Was this a sign? Kirby was unsure, but she was more concerned about her daughter right about now.

"Elise... I'm just not so sure being a Hunter is such a good id-"

"PLEASE Mom! I want us to live happily! I want us to live with our other family members!" Elise pleaded. "I never even knew Rokku was my cousin until the other day! There has to be other family members around we can meet! Besides, if I become a Hunter, I'll get Zenny and E-Crystals that can make us _REALLY_ rich and we can afford the things we _REALLY_ want!"

Kirby found her daughter's determination to become a Hunter to be inspiring. Then again, she believes that Rokku's appearance has further influenced her desires, for he was only 13 and out on a journey to see all of the world. It surprised her that her sister, Ica, would even allow Rokku to leave like he did. Then again, Ryder probably persuaded Ica to let her son go. After all, Ica and Kirby herself know that Ryder went on his own journey throughout Tokyo when he was only 13. Even if Rokku is an adopted child, he still has similarities to his father and even his mother.

His chipper personality and determination to see the world is probably what got Elise acting this way. Still, things have been acting very irregular for the past few months and she's honestly a little afraid.

"Oh Elise..." Kirby whispered as a tear streamed down her cheek. She simply did not know what to do with her only child...

* * *

The sun beamed beautifully as the clock struck 3 PM. The beams forced their way through the forest below it; The Forest of Voreius.

The Forest of Voreius was usually silent. Today was not the case, however, for there were sounds of footsteps rushing through the grass and plasma-gunfire. This area was currently populated with Milos Defense Force soldiers and wild Mavericks, specifically Galleons, ground and aero types. Total soldiers in the area? 30. Total Mavericks in the area? Unknown. This group of warriors were unaware of the enemies' numbers, but it didn't matter. All they had to do was destroy them and push onward.

However, things were getting hectic as the Deluxe Galleon Wing appeared and arrived with five Galleon Wings behind it, silently commanding them to lay waste to the enemy down below. The soldiers, male and female, were forced to evade their assault. They spread out through the area, hiding behind trees, behind ancient ruins, wherever they could at least exchange gunfire.

"Ngh! We're getting pinned here!" One male soldier yelled to another as he exchanged gunfire through his Buster-Rifle and destroyed a Galleon.

The blonde female field commander, Cora, grimaced as she saw a Galleon Wing shoot a couple of energy-bullets at the ancient pillar, forcing her to dodge-roll away before the pillar collapsed on her. She ran to another hiding spot as she shot at the Galleon Wing as revenge. Unfortunately, the Galleon Wing was very evasive and flight was it's friend here. Cora growled and hid behind a large gray rock, locking and loading her Buster-Rifle for another round of energy-bullets.

"Hey! The General said he was sending in reinforcements!" A male soldier yelled to the female commander. "Where are they!?"

"I don't know! Just don't give up!" Cora yelled back, shooting and destroying a incoming Galleon Wing.

Soon, a blue teleportation beam landed in a large open field. The beam formed a human shape and revealed a individual in blue armor. This was Mega Man Neo on the scene!

The hero looked on at the battle approximately 60 feet away from him. He could see the Deluxe Galleon Wing above along with it's remaining four Galleon Wings exchanging gunfire at the opposition below them.

"Great! My teleportation module is still working! And it appears that the module has worked it's way into the Combi-Carrier too! I think we can teleport like this as long as we can get a decent network connection in a specific area!" Mega Man exclaimed in excitement.

Neo smiled, slightly confused on how he was able to teleport like he did. "Mega, can you explain how we just teleported like that?" He holds his head, feeling slightly dizzy from the experience.

"It's simple really." Mega began. "It's simply turning Matter to Energy. The Combi-Carrier's advanced networking enhanced the transportation module, allowing us to change into a beam of pure energy to move from one location to another. Hehe, as long as we have a precise connection to the coordinates, we can teleport practically anywhere we need to go quickly!"

"That's really cool!" Neo cried happily. "Oh yeah, I _almost_ forgot!"

The young hero remembered that he needed to speak to General Payne via Comm Link. Neo placed a hand on his left ear piece, connecting to the Communication Link System.

"This is Neo! Mega Man and I arrived just in time, uncle!" Mega Man Neo said through the Comm Link.

"I hear you loud and clear, nephew. It would appear our Comm Systems work just fine." The General said with a relieved smile. "Now let's test our _Support Monitor_... Jessie, can you see anything through the monitor?"

Soon, Jessie's voice was also heard through Mega Man Neo's Comm Link. "Yes! I can see what the Blue Bomber sees! Awesome!"

A look of confusion was plastered on the hero's face, causing him to look at Mega Man for clarification. To his surprise, not even he knew what Jessie and General Payne were talking about given his shrug.

"Umm, you can _'see what the Blue Bomber sees'_? What do you mean by that?" Neo asked Jessie or the General.

"Allow me to explain." Jessie offered. "Thanks to our Communication Link Systems, we can do more than just hear you, but we can see through your point of view! I can see the battle up ahead via our Support Monitors. The only way I won't be able to see you is if I turn off the monitor or if you disconnect our comm links. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Sounds really convenient to me!" Mega Man said with a happy expression.

"Ah, so it would appear that you have your own inner Comm System, eh Mega Man?" The General surmised. "That would explain a bit about why I have two links here."

"That's right!" Mega Man answered.

"Alright, it's time for you to get to work!" The General began in a more serious tone. "Our allies are under attack by Mavericks! The ruins are beyond this forest. Go on ahead and stop the Mavericks!"

"Gotcha! _Awwwright_ , Mega Man! Are you ready!?" Neo asked his partner.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Mega Man replied, fist pumping towards the screen of the Combi-Carrier. Neo was about to fist-pump Mega Man back, but he realized that his fist pretty much covers the screen, causing the two boys to wonder how to cheer. Suddenly, Mega Man thrusts his finger towards the screen and Neo placed his finger at the screen. The two, although not physically, bonded that way, allowing the boys to laugh happily.

 _ **MISSION START!**_

Mega Man Neo rushed off into the battle field, readying his Mega-Buster. He hopped onto a small gray rock and pressed his feet down on it. Immediately, he leaped into the air in quick speeds, charging his Mega-Buster for Maximum Charge Level. He let out a (intentional) battle cry as he hurled towards his target: The Deluxe Galleon Wing. Said Maverick turned to see the unknown enemy in front of it, pointing his Mega-Buster at it's face. Right away, Mega Man Neo released a large blue charged shot at the Deluxe Galleon Wing, destroying it instantly and causing the pieces of the destroyed Maverick to fall onto the ground. The hero landed on his two feet with ease, Mega-Buster still out and looking at the Galleon Wings glaring it's mechanical eyes at the one who destroyed their leader.

The soldiers stared in awe at Neo. They had just witnessed this individual destroy the Deluxe Galleon Wing with such ease, while they were getting pinned down and forced to seek a hiding spot. Cora narrowed her eyes at the individual. He looked like a Maverick given the armor, but she had heard of stories in Cinq Ville, America about "heroes in red armor" who put an end to the Slither Inc. Corporation. Dismissing her thought process, Cora left her hiding spot, readying her Buster-Rifle to destroy the remaining Galleon Hunters that were still firing on foot. She rushed beside Neo, shooting forward and destroying a Galleon Hunter in the process.

"Are you on our side!?" Cora demanded, questioning whether or not she should go hostile on the character beside her. Much to her surprise, the individual grinned and gave her thumbs up while pointing his Mega-Buster forward towards the Galleon Hunters.

"You bet! I'm the reinforcement the General sent out!" Neo confirmed. Just as he did so, he released another Maxed Charged Shot, destroy one Galleon Hunter completely and tearing another in half due to being caught in the crossfire.

Although the soldiers kept firing at the Galleon Hunters and Galleon Wings, they took a closer look at Mega Man Neo. One of them smiled happily and rose up once the Galleon Hunter he aimed for was eliminated.

"Wait! He's the Blue Bomber! The one who fought in Tera City earlier today!" The soldier announced.

"Right you are!" Neo confirmed once again. "I'm here to help you guys out! Let's go! The Mavericks aren't gone yet!"

With that, Neo rushed off again, jumping and shooting the Galleon Hunters and Galleon Wings. Cora turned to her fellow comrades with a toothy grin.

"Well, you heard the man; Let's go!" Cora and her comrades push onward, attacking the Mavericks. As Cora rushed forward buster-rifle blazing, she thought about the new ally that was speeding ahead of her and the crew behind her. _'These warriors popping out of nowhere...I don't understand...Is there some deeper meaning behind these heroes appearing to fight against the Mavericks? It seems like a miracle...'_

* * *

Mega Man Neo sped through the Voreius Forest, shooting his foes down with uncharged buster shots. It appeared that Galleon Hunters and Galleon Wings weren't the only Mavericks here. Mavericks and Mechaniloids such as the _Bambooloss_ , _Valkyraffe_ , _Presto Cannon_ , _Galleon Shocker_ , and _Galleon Assault_ also lurked about. Even the _Whirling 38s and 44s_ were hidden within the ruins' shelters and the forest's small caverns. However, none of them were no match for Mega Man Neo. With some quick evasive maneuvers and pattern learning, Neo could destroy these Mechaniloids with little to no trouble at all.

Neo had leaped ahead of the soldiers behind him in order to get rid of any major threats such as the Galleon Wings and Galleon Assaults. After eliminating about 60 of the enemies, Neo stood at the edge of the path he took. Below him was a stair-like pathway that led to the rectangular ancient temples below. Neo observed the scenery from afar and he could tell that the central temple, also the largest temple, looked important.

"This must be where people used to live." Mega Man surmised.

"Looks like it..." Neo answered as he walked down the "steps". "There doesn't seem to be any Mavericks or hostile Mechaniloids around."

"True, but we shouldn't let our guard down. Who knows what can appear out of nowhere?" Mega warned his friend.

"Hehe, yeah. What's gonna pop out? Some gigantic, deadly mechaniloid?" Neo laughed.

* * *

Meanwhile, nearby the ancient temples that Neo discovered was a small group of Galleons; Hunters, Assaults, Bazookas, the usual. However, right next to them was a giant mechaniloid in black, gray, red, dark orange and yellow paint. The most visible aspect of this mechaniloid was that it had several drills attached to it. It also seemed to have two half "wheels" on it's frontside and large rotatable "wheel" in the center; Three slightly smaller drills on the left and right "half-wheel" and seven larger drills on the center "wheel"; A spinning drill in other words. On each side of the two "half-wheels" were a mechanical arm with a large "hand" with four drills acting as it's "fingers". The whole hand was also rotatable like a disc. On top of the mechaniloid seemed to be three hatches for something to be released as well as a entry hatch for a user to pilot. On the sides of the mechaniloid were two large tank-like wheels. This entire mechaniloid seemed to be a digging type.

A new Deluxe Galleon Wing landed on the ground beside it's fellow Galleons. It pointed at the mechaniloid, seemingly ordering one to enter and pilot it. It then pointed at the remaining Galleons and then forward, towards the enemy forces' location. After the orders were given, the Deluxe Galleon Wing flew off, attempting to find other Galleon Wings to command within the area. Once the select Galleon entered the mechaniloid, it roared violently and powered on with loud, lively machine noises. The central wheel began to spin slowly and the mechaniloid started to move with the other Galleons following right beside it...

* * *

Mega Man Neo took a small little tour around the ancient area. It was outside, that much was obvious. He observed the art on the walls of the pillars. Black lines on the tan pillars... Neo then looked at the 300 foot temple. It looked very fragile, given the cracks on the walls. It's surprising that the temple is still held together after all these centuries. The hero looked at a particular design on the walls of the temple; A giant red circle resembling an eye. How strange...

"These ruins must be centuries old...!" Mega Man exclaimed.

"Like I said before, this forest has existed since the days of Neo Arcadia." General Payne reminded him via Comm Link. In all honesty, Neo and Mega had forgotten that the General and Jessie were listening and watching. They haven't exactly provided much _"support"_ since they begun the mission 8 minutes ago.

"It's really amazing architecture!" Jessie beamed with joy. "Centuries old and it's still standing tall and proud!"

"Well... I wouldn't say that." Neo said as he looked at a few leaning decayed pillars.

"Anyway, enough sightseeing. You two still have your mission." the General said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I gotcha." Neo said, waving his hand and a cocky grin. "We already took out nearly a hundred Mavericks! I think this area here can be considered a "checkpoint"!"

"Wait, hold on." Mega said quickly, causing Neo to stop grinning.

"Huh? What's up?" Neo asked, looking at his friend through the Combi-Carrier on his wrist.

"Do you feel it? That rumbling?" Mega asked with a stern yet concerned expression.

Neo stood up straight and looked around. There was no one here; Just those ruins around him. His eyes soon widened a little when he felt the rumbling underneath his feet.

"Uhhh...Yeah... What _is_ that?" Neo asked, scratching his cheek with his finger. It was like an miniature earthquake...No, it was like a large machine was moving, making the earth shake...!

The rumbling was more frequent and violent now, causing Neo to shriek in slight surprise and forcing him to get into a battle position. His eyes paced left and right as the shaking was getting closer. He could hear a loud machine heading his way.

"That sounds like a mechaniloid...!" The General surmised.

"Get ready!" Mega Man warned.

Neo clenched his left fist and whipped out his Mega-Buster via his right hand. Whatever was heading his way was large and probably dangerous. Soon, a large mechaniloid appears from within the deep forest, destroying pillars with it's large drills. Beside the large drilling mechaniloid were two Galleon Hunters and two Galleon Bazookas, marching beside it. One of the Galleons pointed ahead at Mega Man Neo and readied their firearms.

"What the _HECK_ is that!?" Neo asked, raising a eyebrow and pointing his thumb at the large mechaniloid.

"It isn't anything, I've ever seen..." Jessie admitted, placing her fist on her chin.

General Payne closed his eyes and groaned in agitation. "I know what that mechaniloid is..." He said as he folded his arms.

Jessie turned to her General in surprise and slight excitement. "Really?! What is it!?"

The General wasn't happy like his comrade before him was. He opened his stern, cold eyes and glared at the support monitor that had the mechnailoid within Neo's sights. "That, my dear friend, is known as a _Hittite Hottide_ , a _"Super Anger Class Self-Propelled Warhead"_."

"A Hittitate Hottishi...What?" Jessie fumbled.

"A Hit-tite Hot-tide..." The General repeated more slowly. "It's war-machine from the Neo Arcadia era..."

Neo frowned and held onto his Mega-Buster. "Yeesh! What's with all these old mechaniloids coming back!?"

"I don't know, but I think I know one thing. This Hottide seems to have a different color scheme. I fear this may not be the _exact_ same weapon from those many centuries ago, but perhaps an _improvement_ of it. Do _not_ underestimate this weapon, you two!" The General warned.

A hatch opened up and revealed a Galleon half it's body out. It looked at it's comrades and pointed at Neo himself. The Galleons pointed their firearms at Neo while the pilot Galleon went back inside the Hottide mechaniloid, closing the hatch. Neo glared at the mechaniloid and the Galleons, readying to fight.

 ** _Ready!?_**

 ** _VS...Hittite Hottide DX!_**

~Mega Man X8 - VS Maverick~

Neo ran forward, charging his Buster as the Hottide DX roared to life and began moving towards him. As the warhead moved across the ancient ground, the Galleons beside it were shooting at Neo. The Blue Bomber knew he had to get rid of those Galleons before he can tackle the Hottide DX, so they were his first target. Aiming his Mega-Buster, Neo shot out several energy pellets at the Galleons as he ran, evading the enemy fire in the process.

"Eat this!" Neo cried as he kept firing at the enemy. He saw a few of his shots connect with one of Galleon, but all it did was flinch a little and resumed shooting. This surprised the hero for he was able to destroy these Galleon Hunters and Bazookas easily with just three shots, but he shot at least five at a single one and it was still standing.

"What?!" Neo cried in surprised as he kept evading enemy fire.

"It would appear that these specific Galleons have tougher armor. You won't be able to destroy these ones as easily." General Payne said upon visual analysis.

"Well, we can't have these jerks hounding us!" Neo cried through his Comm Link and hiding in a ditch for a quick second.

"Hmm, maybe we can get up close and personal and smash them with our Mega-Knuckle ability!" Mega Man suggested with a determined smile. He even punched his open hand to show that he means business.

Neo smiled at his partner within his Combi-Carrier and nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me!" He then frowned and peaked his head out through the hole and immediately ducked back in there the second enemy fire headed his way. "Though... I don't think it's a good idea to get close to that giant mechaniloid...!"

"Come on Rokku! All you have to do is run towards it, sucker punch a Galleon, get some distance and do it to another until all four are gone! Sounds simple to me!" Mega said.

"But...That mechaniloid looks like it'll crush me like a sewer cap if I get too close!" Neo said, sounding legitimately afraid.

"Mega Man's right. Your speed gives you a great advantage." General Payne said. "The Hottide takes some time to turn around. It's designed to go straight forward, not immediately turn around. Pacing all around the warhead is solid strategy."

"It'll be easy, go for it!" Jessie encouraged.

Neo blinked a couple of times, thinking this plan through. This COULD be easy! Neo smiled and nodded again. "Alright, let's give it a shot!"

Neo jumped out of the ditch; Just in time too, for a Galleon Bazooka had just shot out a missile heading towards the hole. Landing on his feet, Neo sprinted off towards the mechaniloid, engaging his Mega-Knuckles and glaring at the Galleon Bazooka who had shot out the missile. He dashed right into one of Galleon Bazookas and smashed it's entire face to pieces with a mere punch. He then went for the next Bazooka and destroyed it too. He was too fast for the Galleon Hunters to even get a shot in. Neo jumped and threw a downward fist smash, destroying the Galleon Hunter easily. He then back-flipped over the remaining Galleon Hunter's energy shots and gave it a double fist smash, destroying that one as well. With the four Galleons gone, he could now focus on the Hottide DX which was now turning around.

"Nice work Neo!" Jessie cheered.

"It's not over yet." The General reminded her and Neo. "If memory serves me, there should be a pilot inside the warhead. There also should be..."

The General was interrupted when Neo started dashing away from the Hottide DX.

" _Ha!_ " Neo jumped away from the three mines that were being drilled into the ground. It then released parachute bombs that were slowly descending towards Neo's direction; The hero dodged them effortlessly.

"It has bombs that have parachutes, land mines, what else does it have?!" Neo cried.

The Hottide DX responded by releasing rolling bombs that exploded when Neo was within it's range. Neo let out a slight cry from the explosion and skids his feet across the ancient grounds. Once he caught his balance, he frowned and glared at the mechaniloid.

"Thanks for answering..." Neo sarcastically said the non-talking mechaniloid with a agitated expression on his face.

The Blue Bomber whipped out his Mega-Buster and began pacing behind the Hottide DX.

"Listen to me, Neo: From what I remember, the Pantheons connect their bodies to the Hittite Hottide in order to control it. I have a feeling a Galleon is doing the exact same thing here." The General said.

"So, the Galleon piloting this mechaniloid is the core..." Mega Man thought aloud. "Then that must mean if we destroy the Galleon..."

"...We destroy the mechaniloid!" Neo finished with a grin, aiming his Mega-Buster at the "tail" hatch that kept deploying mines. Releasing a Charged Shot at the hatch, it caused the entire mechaniloid to shake a little. The mine hatch was smoking, meaning that Neo had to shoot one more Charged Shot at it to destroy that hatch. He began to charge his Buster again, dodge rolling out of the way of more deployed mines. On his one knee, Mega Man Neo released a Charged Shot at the hatch, destroying the mine hatch for good and ceasing mine deployment for good. However, there was still the parachute bombs and the rolling bombs hatch on top.

As the hero paced around it, the mechaniloid began digging through the ancient temples, removing any other obstacles in it's path. However, it was trying to dig through a rather tough temple that was not going down easily. Neo found this to be his opportunity to start bombarding the hatches with energy shots from his Mega-Buster. He looked at a pillar that had a circular platform on top. He jumped and wall-kicked his way up to the top, getting a good view at the hatches. Neo began wailing o nthe hatches with non-charged shots, destroying the parachute bomb hatch with at least 40 shots and getting the rolling bomb hatch smoking after 34 shots. The rolling bomb hatch opened up and shot out a rolling bomb towards the pillar Neo was standing on. Panicking, Neo jumped off the pillar. While in the air, Neo charged his buster and aimed at the hatch. Ready to go, Neo shot out his Charged Shot at the rolling bomb hatch, destroying it completely.

He landed safely and took notice of one more hatch that was seemingly underneath the rolling bomb and parachute bomb hatches. Soon, a Galleon appeared through the hatch and started throwing hand bombs at Neo, prompting him to evade out of the way. The Galleon entered back into the mechaniloid and tried to get the warhead out of it's stuck position within the temple.

"Good! You got the Galleon to come out!" General Payne stated.

"Now go wail on it!" Jessie cheered.

"Wait... Something's... Off." Mega said slowly as he observed the Hottide DX.

"Yeah... It's shaking a lot more than usual..." Neo said, scratching the top of his helmet with a confused expression.

The Hottide DX began smoking and was starting to turn red, like it was heating up. The drilling sped up, as did the wheels. It broke **RIGHT THROUGH** the temple and came out the other side, causing the entire thing to crumble down to pieces. Neo stared in awe as that mechaniloid destroyed the largest temple in the area. He frowned and charged up his Mega-Buster, readying for the Hottide DX to come towards for Neo. To his surprise, it was able to turn around much more easily than before. The Hottide DX's machinery roared violently and seemed like it was ready to charge at Neo like a berserk bull.

"What's wrong with it!?" Neo exclaimed.

"I'm...Not sure...! I never seen or heard of a Hittite Hottide acting like this in the days of Neo Arcadia!" The General exclaimed as well. "It's up to something though... Be careful!"

The berserk Hottide DX charged towards Neo, moving a lot faster than usual. Neo screeched and started to move backwards. He aimed his Mega-Buster and shot out his Charged Shot, but it just bounced right off the spinning drills!

"Oh my gosh!" Neo screamed as he began to run away. The Hottide DX was right on his tail! Neo ran into the forest, jumping and rolling off and past the trees and rocks. The Hottide DX just burst right through the trees and rocks, but it did seem to slow it down just a little. The Galleon popped it's head out and aimed it's firearm, releasing tons of barrage of energy pellets into the forest, tearing right through the trees and aiming for the running away target.

* * *

Deeper into the forest lied a mysterious cloaked individual. He stood on top of a tree branch, hiding and shadowing himself from those who trekked around here. The signs of dusk began to take over the skies, the sun beams bursting through the trees. The sun was beginning to set...

 ** _RUMBLE!_**

He opened his cold, dark, and calculating crimson eyes upon hearing such a loud a rumble. Those eyes of his seemed to glow in the shadows. He jumped off the branch and began to walk towards the source of the noise, still hiding himself within the shadows as he took a step.

"It would appear the mechaniloid is in it's berserk state..." The figure said aloud to...seemingly himself.

Another voice from out of nowhere spoke up. "Someone has to be giving it a run for it's money!"

The mysterious figure squinted his eyes. They just had this...focused...yet angry look to them. "It would appear that _he_ is battling it."

" _He_ has to be fighting it!" The voice yelled, sounding angry and slightly desperate. "I've waited too long for this to be some random punk!"

"It could be the heroes of red who destroyed Serpent and his company... But..." The figure had a rather calculating expression on his face. His eyes seemed to tell it all... "...I have a very strong feeling it is _him_ ; The one that the _doctor_ seeks... But more importantly, who _you_ seek..."

The figure pulled out a small flying mechaniloid from his cloak. He appeared to be holding onto it for some time. The mechaniloid's single eye glowed to life. The mechaniloid flew off the figure's hand and looked at him.

"The _doctor_ wants some DNA samples...and some proof of the hero's existence." The figure whispered. With that, the mechaniloid; The **Gli-Eye** took off into the air and disappeared from normal human vision. Faintly, the figure could see the Gli-Eye soaring far away into the air, awaiting it's time to return. The figure returned to looking ahead.

"Are you ready? This may be your chance to finally get your revenge." The figure asked the voice.

"I am always ready...! Once we get to that worry-wart, I'll finally beat him!" The voice cried with excitement.

The figure stopped walking and sighed. He opened his eyes once more and in a blink of an eye...He vanished like the wind...

* * *

~Mega Man ZX Advent - Dance-Macabre -Second Act-~

Mega Man Neo still fled away from the berserk Hittite Hottide DX. Fortunately for the hero, the mechaniloid was slowly down due to overheating itself. They managed to get out into an open grassy field in with the trees surrounding the circular arena. The Galleon popped it's head out again and aimed it's bazooka firearm at Neo, shooting out some blue device orb. Neo dodged out of the way and the orb exploded upon impact. Before Neo could try to get a shot in on the exposed Galleon, another blue device orb hit Neo. He was immediately trapped within some type of energy cage.

"Wh-What!?" Neo cried.

"It's some type of trap device!" Jessie exclaimed.

"Quickly! Destroy it!" General Payne yelled.

Neo engaged his Mega-Knuckles and started punching at the energy bars of the cage. He could tell that it was slowly breaking. However, the Galleon began to roar up the Hottide DX again. The drills started spinning faster and faster and the wheels looked like they were ready to speed off right away!

Neo and Mega Man could tell where this was going: The Galleon intended on RAMMING into them while they were in the cage!

"Oh no!" Mega Man cried.

Neo reeled back his fist and prepared to give the cage one more powerful punch. However, he feared that he was too late for the Hottide DX started speeding off towards him! Even if he did break the cage, he wouldn't have time to evade quickly!

" ** _AAAAAAAAAH!_** " Neo screamed in horror as he braced for impact. Jessie and General Payne also screamed too. This was frightening for them as well since they saw everything in Neo's point of view.

Suddenly, before the Hottide DX could hit Neo, it suddenly stopped dead in it's tracks, smoke coming out and everything. Neo opened his eyes and gasped when he saw the drills completely torn off and a large hole from the frontside to the back, showing the trees behind the mechaniloid through the hole. Electricity circuits sparked within the hole. This confused the hero, but before he could ask anything, the Hottide DX began to explode. Beams of light escaped from it's now fragile and broken body, followed by a larger explosion that Neo was caught in.

* * *

Jessie and the General were met with static screens from their support monitors.

"Neo!? NEO!?" Jessie cried through the Comm. Links. No response.

"Damn!" General Payne cursed, slamming his fist on the table nearby him. He then began to sigh. "He should be fine..."

"Y-Yeah! He's the Blue Bomber! No little explosion c-can take him out that easily!" Jessie said nervously, trying to sound positive. "I-I'll ask the other soldiers to go check on the area Neo was currently in and gi-give us a visual confirmation on his w-well-being!"

"Good idea Jessie, thank you." The General said with a small smile.

Jessie connected her links with the field commander, Cora. "Cora? This is Jessie! How are you doing?"

"...We're fine. We managed to destroy all of the Mavericks in this area!" Cora announced proudly through her Comm Link. She soundly paused and began speaking again. "...I just saw a large explosion though!"

"Yes, that was the Blue Bomber fighting against a mechaniloid! We've lost contact with him after the explosion! Can you and your team go check out the area and tell us if he's alright?!"

"No problem! You can count on us!" Cora said before ending the transmission.

"Alright... Now we just have to wait, General." Jessie sighed happily.

"Yes..." The General said again, holding onto his forehead.

* * *

~Sonic X JP - Shadow's Theme #1~

Once the explosion cleared, Neo found himself on his back with a few smoke spots on his vest armor and some on his arm and Combi-Carrier. He hopped onto his feet with ease and dusted himself off. Once finished, he looked on at the remains of the Hittite Hottide DX; Nothing but scrap metal now...

The hero placed a fist on his hip while his other hand dangled freely. "It just exploded like that..."

"It's destroyed, yeah, but... _Who_ destroyed it?" Mega Man asked. It was clear to the two boys that the mechaniloid didn't destroy itself. _Someone_ had to had done the deed.

Suddenly, Mega Man Neo felt a presence behind him. He quickly turned his head around to find a cloaked figure behind him. He had a rather odd shaped helmet; It looked like "bat-ears"... It was black and had gold inners, as well as a blue colored star-shaped crystal on the forehead, two white ear pieces with a blue circular center. He wore a brown torn-up cloak and black, gold, purple and light black armor. He had purple markings underneath his cold and calculating crimson eyes. He stood there mysteriously, staring at the hero before him.

Mega Man Neo turned his body around completely, looking at the enigma confusingly. He wasted no time asking questions, holding out his hand.

"Who are you?" Neo asked.

The enigma merely blinked at the hero. He then held out his hand, closed his eyes and smiled. Placing his hand on his chest, he began to speak...

"You may call me... _**Bass Kai**_."

* * *

 **Here we are. Mega Man Neo meets up with Bass Kai...**

 **As you can see, I brought in the _"Hittite Hottide"_ , a boss character from _Mega Man Zero_ on the GBA. I believe it was from the mission, "Mechaniloid Attack", where the warhead is slowly approaching the Resistance Base. There's a reason I bring back mechaniloids such as the Rainbow Devil from Chapter 6, the Gli-Eye and the Hittite Hottide... Trust me.**

 **So, Bass Kai. More information will be said about him in the next chapter (or as much information that he chooses to let out).**

 **See ya next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 9: Clash of Legendary Rivals!

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 9 - Clash of Legendary Rivals!

* * *

~Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X - Vile's Plan~

" _Bass Kai_?" Mega Man Neo inquired, raising a brow.

The so called "Bass Kai" nodded in confirmation. Neo looked on at the individual before him; His determined, young, innocent blue eyes gazing at the enigma's cold, slightly mature, and calculating crimson eyes. Although he was standing only 10 feet away from Bass Kai, he can feel this...negative aura surrounding him. Though, despite that, Neo felt no need to see this one as an enemy...Yet.

"That is right..." Bass Kai answered. "You must be... ** _Mega Man Neo_**...Correct?"

Neo nodded. "Uh-huh. Guess you've heard of me...?"

"How could I not?" Bass Kai said, sneaking a little genuine smile, though Neo could not tell from afar. "Your reputation in 15% of the Enstratos Region has grown in merely a few hours. Admittedly, that is impressive."

Neo turns his eyes to the Combi-Carrier to face Mega Man. "Hey, does the name ' _Bass Kai_ ' ring a bell to you?"

Mega Man looks at Neo with a confused yet stern expression. "No...Well, sorta...I don't know who he is, but he _does_ look familiar..."

Bass Kai frowned and subtly looks at the orange-filled horizon, eying closely at the Gli-Eye that hovered around the area patiently...and recording this scene... Kai focused his attention back on Mega Man Neo, squinting at him with his cold, crimson eyes.

" _You are the one_." Bass Kai says, causing Neo to look back at Kai with a perplexed emotion plastered on his face.

"Huh?"

Bass Kai's blank expression remained. "Mega Man, the ancient robot from the 21st Century who has fought tirelessly against those who threatened the world...Before me stands that hero fused with a human being..."

Neo's and Mega's eyes widened in shock and awe. Neo had jumped a little upon hearing the facts coming from Bass Kai's mouth.

"Y-You know!?" Neo cried, pointing at Kai in awe.

"Yes, I know." Kai replied.

Neo suddenly began to get this chilling sensation from Kai. His slightly deep, teenage voice just gave Neo goosebumps, especially since this guy knew Mega Man was revived and fused with him.

"Hehehe, who else has that voice of a worry-wort hero!?"

Neo jumped again. He heard a voice but it did NOT come from Bass Kai.

"Wh-What!? Wh-Who said that!?" Neo said, trembling a little. This was getting a little freaky for the young hero. It was bad enough that his uncle and Jessie were disconnected after the explosion of the Hittite Hottide DX, but now he was face to face with someone who knew about him and Mega Man; Not to mention now he was hearing voices _seemingly_ coming out of nowhere.

"You don't remember me, do you Mega Man?" The voice asked.

Mega Man's stern expression remained. He had a bad feeling about this entire situation here. "Who's there!?"

Bass Kai held a hand on his chest and smiled a little with his eyes closed. "Let me introduce you to _my_ partner, Mega Man Neo."

Holographic static began to surround Bass Kai. Though...It looked like a static holographic image that was splitting from Bass Kai's body. Neo stared in awe as beside Bass Kai was a static hologram of another individual who looked REALLY similar to Bass Kai himself, but with a simpler armor design and a cobra-design for his helmet instead of the bat-ears design that Bass Kai had. His crimson eyes and villainous smile pierced through Neo and Mega.

"This is _Bass_ , an ancient robot from the 21st Century and one of the strongest of it's time." Bass Kai introduced.

"Bass...?" Mega Man muttered. The name sounded so familiar to him, but he simply could not recall who he was. His appearance also began to enlighten the ancient Blue Bomber with a bit of his past. He sees...memories of him "sparring" with this Bass in a devastated highway. He didn't look like an enemy, though. He seemed like someone who was testing Mega Man.

"Long time no see, Mega Man..." Bass grinned with a look of glee. "...It's been too long!"

"You... I don't remember much of you..." Mega Man admitted, clutching his head, _trying_ to recall Bass.

Bass' holographic image went back into Kai, disappearing from sight. Bass Kai placed a clenched fist underneath his chin. "Hmm, probably...Hibernation sickness...?"

"Hibernation Sickness? What are you talking about?" Neo inquired. _'Sounds like something from those sci-fi space films I used to watch...'_

Bass Kai lowed his hand and glared at Neo. "You really _don't_ know much, do you "Mega Man Neo"?"

Mega Man frowned and clenched his fists, giving the enigma before him a agitated expression. "You seem to know some things about me! Tell me, please!"

"Do you _deserve_ to know?" Bass Kai asked. "As you are now, you seem weak."

Neo got angry with that comment. "Weak!?"

"Weak." Bass Kai repeated. "These Mavericks; The Galleons, the Hittite Hottide DX— All of them are nothing but easy pickings."

"Hittite Hottide DX? You must mean that mechaniloid we were fighting!" Mega Man Neo said in realization.

"It took someone else to defeat that mechaniloid for you. If I hadn't destroyed it, you would've lost." Bass Kai said, his tone and voice increasing it's volume in anger.

"We didn't need your help, buddy!" Mega Man Neo retorted, swinging his arm; getting angry himself. "We had it all covered!"

"Did you?!" Bass Kai barked.

His voice startled Neo for a second, but he regained his composure. "...Yeah...We did..."

Mega Man Neo knew he was right. If Bass Kai hadn't shown up, he probably would've taken some critical damage. However, he believes...No, he _knows_ that he and Mega Man aren't weak! They together defeated Magne corrupted by a Model W!

Bass Kai could tell Neo was beginning to accept the fact that he would've lost without him. However, the fact that Neo was initially denying it angered him.

"You're a coward." Bass Kai spoke up.

"What did you say!?" Neo growled, clenching his fist.

"You're a coward. You are one who is afraid of death." Bass Kai said. "You are a weakling...No...The _both_ of you are weaklings...Far too weak to take on the threat that is on the horizon..."

"We can take on anyone who threatens the innocents and this world!" Mega Man chimed.

"Is that so?" Bass Kai asked, raising a brow. Bass began to chuckle, his laughter originating from Kai himself.

"Can you defeat me, Mega Man?!" Bass questioned, anticipation.

"What?" Mega Man asked.

Bass Kai smiled sadistically. "You see, boys. Bass and I came after you for a reason..."

Neo slid his foot back, raising a brow and displaying a nervous expression. "You...Came after _us_?"

Bass Kai nodded. "Yes. Bass is here for Mega Man, and I am here for you, for _slightly_ different reasons, mind you."

"I was born to defeat you Mega Man;a threat in my conquest to become the strongest in the world...!" Bass revealed.

"To become the strongest?" Mega Man asked, sounding a little agitated. "What a stupid goal! What's the point in it!?"

Before Bass could answer, Kai chimed in. "If you two truly believe that you have what it takes to "save the world", then fight us...! Defeat me and Bass and prove to us that you can do it!"

"Gladly!" Mega Man Neo glared and growled.

The Reborn Blue Bomber got into a battle stance, glaring at the Black Bomber before him. Bass Kai did the same, frowning at his opponent. He took his eyes off the hero, looking at the Gli-Eye in the sky observing the upcoming battle.

~Contra: Shattered Soldier - Super Power Robot Yokozuna Jr~

 ** _It's Showtime!  
VS...Bass Kai!_**

Immediately, Bass Kai widened his eyes and dashed towards Mega Man Neo, reeling back his fist and aiming at Neo, much to the hero's dismay.

" **VANISH!** " Bass Kai roared as he went closer to the freaking out Blue Bomber.

"Holy Moley!" Neo shrieked, rolling out of the way of his punch. The punch created a large purple explosion and made a **_humongous_** crater in the now obliterated grass in that spot.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cora and her crew were searching for the Blue Bomber as requested of Jessie. As the traveled in the forest, they could clearly see torn down, scorched and broken trees along the path; Not to mention large wheel-tank tracks that scratched through the grass and making it lead to where the mechaniloid took off. They had recently passed by the ancient ruins a few moments ago and saw the wreckage there as well.

"Where could this hero be?" One soldier asked, pacing his eyes back and forth.

"At least the Mavericks are gone." Another chimed.

Cora followed the tracks closely. She was getting a bad feeling about this...

Suddenly, a large explosion occurred, shaking Cora and her crew.

"Another one!?" Cora cried before grimacing. "Come on! Onward!"

With that, Cora and her comrades began running towards the direction, seeing and/or hearing more as they ran.

* * *

Mega Man Neo jumped backwards, dodging Bass Kai's purple energy blasts from his Bass-Buster. Unlike Neo's, Kai's Buster shots were rapid fire, like a machine gun! Mega Man Neo had to keep moving if he didn't want to get shot!

Neo began charging his Mega-Buster as he paced around Kai, dodging the enemy fire. Once his Buster reached maximum charge, Neo began dashing towards Kai's position, dodging his shots with such speed and ease. Once close enough, Neo pointed his Buster and released his Charged Shot.

However, Kai sky-rocketed into the air, dodging the large blast. He landed on his feet and held onto his Bass-Buster; Smoke leaving from the barrel of the arm-cannon. Kai looked at his opponent steadily, studying him closely.

He had to admit, Neo wasn't the complete weakling he mistook him for. He was _fast_. He was _strong_. He was _smart_. It surprised him that Neo was all these things. If he hadn't dodged that Charged Shot just now, he would've been critically damaged...!

While Kai was standing around, looking at his opponent with calculating eyes, Neo rushed towards Kai, charging his Buster again.

"Tch!" Bass Kai frowned, putting away his Buster and standing his ground. Once Neo got close enough, he threw his fist at Kai instead of his charged up Buster. Although initially caught off guard, Kai immediately connected Neo's fist with his own. The two stood there, fist against fist; Glaring at each other, clenched fists and trembling. Kai was in awe that Neo was this strong, but he didn't show it externally.

Neo puts away his Buster and clenches his other fist, throwing it at Kai. Once again, Kai slammed his fist against Neo's. In seconds, the two began throwing punches at each other, smashing their fists together and creating little shock waves with each impact. Eventually, they tried to kick each other, colliding their legs against one another. The gazed at each other intensely, determined to be the victor of this struggle.

Suddenly, Neo equipped his Mega-Knuckle with his left hand and let out a battle cry, aiming for Kai's face. The Black Bomber's eyes widened and stepped to the side quickly, throwing a fast jab to Neo's head, sending him flying towards a 16 foot solid rock. Though he didn't break it upon impact, Neo's crash did make a large dent in it as well as some cracks.

Neo groaned a little and whipped out his Mega-Buster again, eyes locked on the charging Bass Kai.

Neo hopped on his feet and jumped against the rock. He immediately leaped off the rock and soared into the air, causing Kai to punch a rock to pieces. Though, Kai did not have enough time to dodge the incoming Charged Shot heading his way. Crying in pain, Bass Kai slid across the ground, destroying the grass in his way and making a large line mark. He clenched the ground with his hand and opened his eyes, looking at Neo landing safely and getting into a battle position. He turned to his side and looked at Kai, giving him a hand gesture that screamed _"Come on!"_

Bass Kai growled and rose to his feet, equipping his Bass-Buster.

' _Not bad for a beginner...I think it's safe to say he's not even a beginner anymore..._ ' Bass Kai thought.

' _Hey! What are you doing!?_ ' Bass screamed in Kai's mind. ' _Why aren't we wiping the floor with him!? We fought against much easier foes before! Mega Man is just a joke!_ '

' _Alone, yeah. But..._ ' Bass Kai squinted at Neo who was waiting for him to strike first. ' _But he's fused with that boy. He's not so easy to defeat now. His power increases when he fuses with a host, just like you and I. However, his power is higher than normal. What is it...?_ '

Bass Kai examined his opponent again. Something in his sight made him curious.

' _What is that device on his wrist? No, it seems to be on both of his wrists, but I sense immense power from the one on the right wrist... Is that device making him stronger...?_ '

' _Now that you mention it...I feel it too! Is that punk using some crutch to fuse!?_ ' Bass roared in Kai's mind.

' _To fuse...Good observation, Bass. That device must be used to fuse...You told me Mega Man was under going some changes when you escaped, right?_ ' Kai asked.

' _Yeah, that's right. What of it?!_ ' Bass asked.

Tired of waiting, Mega Man Neo rushed towards Bass Kai, Buster charging up and letting out a battle cry. Kai dodged Neo's attempts to punch him and threw in his own punches. However, Neo either dodged or blocked his punches.

' _To fuse now would result in an incomplete transformation...At least, according to what the doctor told us. That device must be completing the transformation while also enhancing it beyond our own! Yes, that must be it!_ ' Kai said while dodging and punching Neo.

' _What a loser! Using such a crappy device!_ ' Bass growled.

' _No. It's not a "crappy" device, Bass._ ' Kai said as he leaped over Neo's sweeping kick. ' _This device is useful. We have to defeat him so we can get some data samples! If we can have the doctor create a similar device, our power should rise too!_ '

' _Ohoho! I get'cha! Yeahaha! Now you got me interested!_ ' Bass laughed. _'It wouldn't be fair if that loser was given an extra boost in power!...Even though I can wipe the floor with him with or without a power boost!'_

Mega Man Neo equipped his Mega-Knuckle, encasing his hands in metallic hands. He yelled and threw his fist towards Bass Kai. The Black Bomber was not expecting metallic fists from Neo. He threw his fist towards the Mega-Knuckle heading his way and connected. However, the second they clashed fists, the two fighters were sent flying in opposite directions. Neo slowly got back on his feet after crashing into yet another large rock.

"Sh-Shoot..." Neo cursed as his arms dangled freely; His eyes aimed at Kai.

Kai got up from the ground, clenching his fists and glaring daggers at Neo. He immediately equipped his Bass-Buster and began to shoot at Neo. The hero collected his composure and rushed toward Kai, dodging the Black Bomber's purple energy blasts. He equipped his Mega-Buster, aiming at Kai. The Black Bomber began to speed around the area, shooting at his opponent in the process. Neo did the same, being quick on his feet and shooting back at Kai. Though his shots were rapid, he had quite the trigger finger. Neo's Mega-Buster shots hit a few of Kai's Bass-Buster shots, while the other Bass-Buster shots went elsewhere due to the mere speed of the blasts.

The two exchanged fire for a full minute before Bass Kai decided to dash towards Neo. The Blue Bomber could've swore he heard a charge sound not belonging to his Mega-Buster. He finally realized that Bass Kai had a charge feature too! Rapid-Fire Buster AND a Charging Buster!? That's some strong firepower!

Mega Man Neo decided it was best to charge his Buster as well. Bass Kai aimed his Bass-Buster at Neo, standing 8 feet away from Neo. A purple ball of energy was enlarging at the tip of the barrel, ready to release. Energy coming from Neo's power source was being charged into his Mega-Buster and a light, blue energy was being formed at the tip of his barrel. The two opponents aimed their Busters, both ready to fire.

" _YAAAAAAAH!_ " The two screamed.

Both fighters released their charged shots, creating a massive explosion of colliding energy blasts between them. Once again, the two were sent flying in opposite directions. This time, they landed on their feet and got back into their battle stances.

The Black Bomber looked at Neo, eyes narrowing. ' _I think it's time I end this..._ '

"Playtime is over!" Bass Kai yelled.

Suddenly, Mega Man Neo screamed in absolute pain and agony, eyes widened and mouth hanging open. He was hunched back. Before him was Bass Kai, fist against Neo's abdomen. His blue eyes turned white from the sudden punch. It felt like he just got hit by...No, this was indescribable! How did Bass Kai get to Neo so quickly, from so far away!?

' _Such speed! And I'm not talking mach! I'm talking light-speed!_ ' Mega Man exclaimed in thought.

Right away, Kai withdrew his fist and then let out a cry as he gave Neo a turnaround kick, sending him flying into the forest and crashing into dozens of trees and rocks. Finally, Neo stopped flying and skids across the grass, landing near by a cliff. Below the cliff was rocks and water...Deep water. Beyond that was a seemingly endless ocean road.

~Mega Man Zero 4/Remastered Tracks Rockman Zero - Physis - Fragile Border~

Neo trembled as he slowly attempted to get back on his feet, coughing at the same time. No blood came out despite the beating though.

"That...Hurt..." Neo said between breaths. He held onto his abdomen, breathing a bit. It was a good thing that the bodysuit he was wearing was actually some tough armor. Otherwise, that punch would've torn right through his skin!

Neo closed one of his eyes and breathed heavily. He was losing energy and strength. Using the one eye he's got opened, he looked on to see Bass Kai already in front of him.

"You shouldn't have bitten off more than you can chew..." Bass Kai said ominously as the wind blew, making his light brown, torn cape dance with it. "That _'holier than thou'_ attitude of yours is going to get you and those you care about obliterated..."

Before Neo could speak back, Kai gave his face the boot, knocking him on his back. Kai walked over to Neo and picked up his body, holding him by his neck-guard collar.

Kai's eyes turned to the skies where he could see the Gli-Eye he dispatched head towards his way. Close enough to Kai and the unconscious Neo, the Gli-Eye stared blankly at the body.

"No! What are you doing!?" Mega Man cried. His partner was unconscious...Mega Man couldn't do much if his partner's unconscious!

The Gli-Eye suddenly had a cord appear from it's back and watched as it extended longer and attached it's four-fingered claw onto the Combi-Carrier. Mega Man, from within the cyberspace of the device, watched in awe as he could see lines of data being extracted. No...They were being copied into the Gli-Eye's storage bank!

"Stop that! Get away!" Mega Man cried in anger.

The Gli-Eye did not hear the ancient hero's pleas. It continued until it took all that was needed. It then attached it's cord onto Mega Man Neo's face, taking in DNA samples. The claw went back into the Gli-Eye's body and soared ominously beside Kai. The Black Bomber looked at Neo and frowned.

"I'll admit, you are strong Mega Man Neo." Bass Kai praised. "However, if you can't beat me, then you'll stand no chance against the **_Knight of Despair_** herself and especially not _him_."

Mega Man looked confused but still angry nonetheless. "The " _Knight of Despair_ "?! Who is that!?"

His eyes narrowed at the ancient Blue Bomber in the Combi-Carrier. "It'll all happen...The day of Judgement for the Reploids...And the day of Salvation for the Humans. If you wish to prevent that, you better get ready..."

"What...!?" Mega was really confused now. Day of Judgment? Day of Salvation? What was he talking about!?

Suddenly, Bass Kai clenched tighter on Neo's neck-guard. "Goodbye!"

With a mighty thrust, Bass Kai threw Neo off the cliff and towards the ocean. The Blue Bomber soar into the ocean for a good 30 seconds before finally hitting the ocean, sinking down into the abyss.

"Rokku! Rokku! Wake up!" Mega cried in fear. "Please! Wake up!"

Bass Kai stood at the cliff, arms folded. "That takes care of them."

Bass suddenly spoke up. ' _I know for sure Mega Man wasn't holding back. But I also felt...He wasn't at full power... I don't know what it is, but when we cross paths again, he BETTER be prepared! I want our fight to legendary...!_ '

Bass Kai nods and turns his head to the Gli-Eye floating beside him. "Yes... But first, we need to look at this data we've retrieved. I'm sure the doctor will have use for this, somehow."

Kai turns around and grabs hold of the Gli-Eye. Before him was Cora and her comrades, standing in awe at what they had just witnessed.

"Y-You! What did you just do to the Blue Bomber!?" Cora cried, pointing her Buster-Rifle at Kai.

Kai shown no remorse for what he did. He simply narrowed his eyes. "I defeated him in combat and rendered him unable to fight, that's what I've done. Worry not for he is not dead. He will return...One day..."

The Black Bomber looks at the Gli-Eye in his hand, containing the battle data and DNA samples of his defeated foe. "At last...We will get some answers..."

Without warning, Bass Kai converts his entire body into pure, black energy and teleports out of the area, taking the Gli-Eye with him and leaving the soldiers at awe. Cora cursed and reached for her communicator.

"Jessie? This is Cora. I have some...unfortunate news..."

* * *

Mega Man Neo began to float above the surface of the ocean. He was seemingly in the middle of nowhere, but he was still unconscious.

"Rokku..."

Mega Man was greatly concerned for his partner and friend. It's been 20 minutes and he had yet to awaken. Mega was legitimately scared right now.

Mega Man suddenly saw a shadow cast over him. He was submerged underwater with the Combi-Carrier so he couldn't see much. Working his way through the cybernetics of this armor and device, he managed to use the circuitry to get his vision to the top of Neo's helmet. He could see a large, tan airship lowering. It was hovering above the surface. He could see a female figure appear and grab hold of Neo, pulling him onto the airship. Immediately after, the airship began to ascend from the ocean surface. Then, the airship took off...


	11. Chapter 10: Megalomania

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 10 - Megalomania

* * *

After "defeating" Mega Man Neo 4 hours ago, Bass Kai departed from the Forest of Voreius. In a beam of light, the black armored warrior teleported inside a dark and eerie laboratory. All the black armored enigma could hear was the humming of the computer monitor before him as well as other machinery surrounding him. He took a couple of steps towards the 30 inch computer monitor hanging above him and gazed at it. He soon began to start typing in a...passcode of some sort.

Once the passcode was entered, the screen turned on. On the screen showed a mysterious figure sitting on a big chair and completely shadowed.

Bass Kai's blank expression remained on his face.

"Hello doctor. I see you're still placing a silhouette around yourself..." Bass Kai said non-enthusiastically.

"And I see you're still sounding moody as ever." The figure replied happily. The voice sounded young... _Very young..._ like, _teenage young_. "Anyhow, did you finally meet him; Mega Man and his host?"

Bass Kai nodded without saying a word.

"Haha, good! You have the host's DNA and Battle Data from the Gli-Eye, no?"

"Yes." Kai simply responded.

With that, he placed the immobilized Gli-Eye mechaniloid on the panel that seemed to have a hole specifically for it. Once it was inserted, the Gli-Eye's mechanical optics beamed to life. Tons of bits and bites started raining down in the optics, transferring data through the panel.

The shadowed figure chuckled to himself. He turned his chair a bit and suddenly, there was multiple footage of Mega Man Neo fighting in the Forest of Voreius; From fighting the Deluxe Galleon Hunter to the Hittite Hottide DX and eventually his battle with Bass Kai himself. The figure grinned and gazed upon the footage.

"Hehehe, isn't this neat~." The figure commented. "This guy has adapted to Mega Man much faster than I thought! Very impressive for someone who just recently bonded with him...!"

The enigma turned to face Kai again. "But even so, he lost to you, didn't he?"

Before Kai could speak, Bass took his place. "He _did_ lose, but to me, that wasn't a _true_ victory! He wasn't at full power!"

The figure yawned mockingly at Bass. "Good grief, even after all these years, you _still_ hate Mega Man."

"...Even after I upgraded you into a Reploid. You have a one track mind, Bass."

Bass growled. "Shut up! Yeah, so what, you revived me and Mega Man! What, you want a gold medal?!"

Just as the figure was going to give Bass a snarky remark, something on his computer screen caught his attention.

"Hm? What's this?"

The figure began pressing keys on the keyboard and entering within the folder that was just sent to him. Slowly, he was reading the contents of it.

"Huh... Interesting."

"What is it that you've found, doctor?" Kai asked.

The figure did not keep his eyes of what he was examining, but he responded to Kai nonetheless. "Lots of things. Lots and lots of things. Hehehe, I can tell, _she_ is responsible for this contraption."

"Who?" Bass questioned.

" _Doctor Ciel_ , the woman from 23XX. She's supposed to be dead, but I can see she's prolonging her life... _just like I am_..." The figure replied, continuing to examine the contents of the data being received.

"Ciel..." Kai whispered, unfamiliar with the name but sensing it's importance.

"Well, well, she's responsible for giving that host a device... Ah, I see! She perfected the Megamerge that Mega Man was originally undergoing...! In fact, the device surpasses even _your_ capabilities, you two!"

" _The device_?" Bass Kai repeated. Then it came to him. Mega Man Neo was wearing a device on his right wrist...!

"My, oh my. This woman is smarter than I thought... Then again, this _is_ the one who created the six Biometals." The figure said, still looking at the data's contents. "The _Combination-Carrier_...Hmhmhm, interesting."

"Doctor, do you think you can construct a device similar to what they were wearing?" Bass Kai asked.

The enigma grinned, though it was impossible to tell when you can't even see his face. "Oh, yes. I'm sure I can create one in no time... Especially with this large amount of data, it'll be over soon enough...!"

He stopped looking at the contents and returned his glance at Bass Kai. "You must contact me in 8 hours, understood _**Nero**_?"

Bass Kai nodded. "Understood, doctor."

With that, the transmission was cut off and the screen went blank. Bass Kai, the fusion between a 14 year-old human boy named _Nero_ and a robot upgraded to a Reploid _Bass_ , began to walk away from the large monitor.

Kai put thought into the host that Mega Man megamerged with. He sensed something was... Familiar when he was close to him. He would have to figure this out much later; But for now, he and Bass had other things to attend to...

* * *

Once the connection was dropped, the figure turned his swivel chair around. He was no younger than Nero himself... He wore a opened, long, black tailcoat with long sleeves, a upwards collar and shoulder pads. The interior of the coat was red. He had the usual fingerless gloves with white fingertips. He wore a short, black "Mega Man" vest, and seemed to wear a dark brown bodysuit compared to the usual black or navy colored bodysuits. He did not seem to be wearing pants or briefs for that matter; Just a simple white belt around his waist. He wore big black boots with metallic silver trimming, spikes at the talus area of the boots, and red glowing highlights at the soles of his boots.

On his arms were large silver and black gauntlets. On his backhands, there was a large plate on each of them and they had three large barrels on top...As if something _sharp_ is suppose to come out of those holes...

His sharp youthful red eyes seemed to spell out bad news.

Suddenly, a door slid open and in came a girl with long heather blue hair and some weird robotic pieces on her head, kinda resembling "rabbit" ears. She wore a light blue dress with yellow trimmings, white shoulder straps with a purple circular glowing gem embedded within the straps. She had a purple little cloth hanging between her legs, wore white thigh armor and long light blue and white heels. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail via a yellow holding piece. She looked like a 13 year old.

She walked in and yawned cutely as if she just woke up from a nap. After wiping her eyes with her fist, she gasped and her eyes gleamed at the footage of Mega Man Neo.

" _Kyaaaaah_ ~! Is that him!? The Blue Bomber?!" The girl squealed. Her voice was _slightly_ high pitched, but it wasn't _too_ high-pitched or in the middle. It was just _slightly_.

The mysterious male grinned a toothy one and nodded at her question. "That's right, _**Neiva**_. That is the Blue Bomber... Also known as _Mega Man Neo_."

" _Aaaaaaaah_ ~!" The girl known as _Neiva_ gawked. Since the day she heard about the Blue Bomber fighting in Tera City, she got excited to one day see him. Now she did. Next on her list was to finally one day meet him too.

"Gah! Who cares about that Blue Bomber!?"

Right behind Neiva came a seemingly 15 year old boy wearing armor unlike the girl. His eyes were crimson and seem to have black _eyeliner_ underneath his eyes. He wore a red and black helmet that did not complete all the way. It had yellow-orangish horns sticking out the sides. Due to the intentional half-helmet, his big spiky orange hair stuck out, looking like fire. The helmet had gray earplates with a large spike on the backside and blue, glowing interior. He wore a gray neckguard, a black bodysuit with red lines on the sides of him. He wore a red "Mega Man" vest with a black upside down triangle in the center and two black sharp lines close to that triangle and connecting from the back of the vest. He also had red shoulder pads with yellow-orangish trimmings.

He did not wear briefs or pants, just like the enigma in the chair. He wore a white belt with a blue crystal. He too wore thigh armor, like the girl but unlike the enigma. He wore simple red gauntlets with a gray ends. He wore the same fingerless gloves as the girl and the enigma. He wore large red boots with yellow-orangish trimmings, a large white spike poking out the knee cap area, a yellow plate in front of his boots and the same black spike design as his vest. His foot area was black and had yellow-orangish soles.

The teenager folded his arms and looked at the girl with a irritated expression. "You've been talking about that cruddy Blue Bomber for _DAYS_ Neiva! Put a sock in it already!"

Neiva frowned and looked at the boy. " _ **Ignitus**_! I know you want to meet him just as badly as I do!"

 _Ignitus_ rolled his eyes and looked at the girl. "I _did_. But after hearing from **_Taranis_ ** that he lost to Nero and Bass, I don't feel like taking him on. He'll be too easy to beat."

Neiva stomped her foot on the metallic floor. "Neo wouldn't lose a fight so easily! H-He just was a little less experienced than Nero and Bass! I-It wasn't a fair fight!"

Ignitus squinted at Neiva, arms still folded across his chest. "Why do you _care_ so much about our _ENEMY_?"

When she was asked that question, Neiva shrieked and began blushing cutely. "I-I-I care b-because h-h-h-h-he's-"

"Good grief..."

Ignitus and Neiva turned to the enigma. He smiled as he placed a palm over his face with his eyes closed. "As siblings you argue... Heh, I can't deny how fun it is to see you two bicker..."

The enigma removed his hand from his face and looked at the two siblings. "But there are more matters to attend to. Mega Man and his host have been thrown into the ocean; Courtesy of Nero and Bass."

He then grinned, his red eyes glowing in excitement. "Lucky for us, the current he's taking _should_ take him nearby _that_ cavern. I want you both to go and...Meet him personally."

Ignitus frowned while Neiva squealed with glee. "I get to meet Mega Man Neo!? _**YES**_! Finally! I get to learn his favorite color, his favorite food and what type of girls he likes~!"

Neiva went on and on as she ran out of the room. Her big brother frowned in irritation. "Neiva actually _does_ have a crush on that loser... But hey, which one does she _actually_ like!? The host or Mega Man himself!?"

The enigma shrugged happily. "Who knows... Maybe not even Neiva herself, hmhmhm..." The enigma chuckled. "Now go and follow your sister! I must attend to this recent data from the Blue Bomber himself...!"

Ignitus clenched his fists and walked out the door. "Grr, why doesn't Taranis do anything around here?! And what about-"

The door closed shut, blocking out Ignitus' rant. The enigma turned to face his computer, continuing to read the data. He found some very interesting data, mostly regarding Ciel's recent creation, the Combi-Carrier, but upon looking at the DNA portion of the data, he found something _special_ about the host...

"My, my... Nero is in for a surprise, hehehe..."

After finished began typing in passwords into his personal computer, a username was revealed: _Wraith_.

* * *

Mega Man Neo slowly opened his eyes upon finally awakening from his slumber. Almost immediately, he noticed that he was in a location not familiar to him. It was a rather dark and small room with a- Wait, hang on! We've already been through this similar scenario! This is some crazy deja vu!

Nonetheless, the hero awoken on a surprisingly cozy bed. Though, he felt like he was... moving. For Neo it was hard to describe since he hasn't been in this type of scenario... Well, aside from awakening up in a small and dark room.

"If we were sitting on a chair, I'd say this is really similar to yesterday's event." Mega Man chuckled. Neo looked at his friend through the Combi-Carrier and raised a brow.

"Ummm, where are we _this_ time?" Neo asked, sounding like he has a feeling what's about to come up next.

True to what he had thought, the door before him turned on and slid open. However, it wasn't a man who walked in. No, it was a teenage girl looking like she was about 16. She had long black hair, nearly-emotionless yet calculating crimson eyes, and light skin. She had black circular ear-plates with an sharp black and white "antenna" attached. She wore a long midnight blue scarf around her neck and the tails dangled behind her. She also wore a short Japanese kimono shirt. It's design was rather simple, being black with white trims. Around her waist was a long purple waist girdle belt. Underneath that kimono was a light black-purplish bodysuit, the same as everyone else. However, her bodysuit had short sleeves and short legs, revealing her light skin. She also wore long socks of the same color as her bodysuit. She wore big black "Mega Man" boots with white trimmings. However, she appeared to have a leg guard in front of her boots...

The girl looked at the boy, examining him. His eyes... Were so pure and innocent, but deep inside lied a strong fighter determined to protect the world...

"You are finally awake, _Blue Bomber_." The girl said. Her voice was soft and mature. It seemed to tell Rokku that she was the type of person who takes things quite seriously and knows responsibility and all that.

"Y-Yeah..." Neo said, scratching the top of his helmet. "Excuse me if I'm sounding rude, but... Who _are_ you?"

The girl held a hand out to her chest. She had yet to smile... She just had this serious frown...

"My name... Is _Shade_ ," She greeted. "I am the one responsible for saving you..."

"Saved me...?" Neo muttered.

"After our battle, "Bass Kai" tossed us into the ocean instead of finishing us off." Mega Man explained. "I feel like those two want a rematch some time in the future...!"

Shade took a couple steps closer to the hero(es). She looked and examined the boy further.

"I've been searching for you... For a _long_ time..." Shade said.

"Y-Y-You have...?" Neo quivered nervously.

Shade nodded. "Yes. Ever since the news regarding you have spread... You were the one who stopped the leader of Unity, the nation that leads Europe as a whole, from going insane with a Model W..."

"Yeah, we've been getting pretty famous lately..." Neo chuckled nervously. He wasn't too sure he was liking where this was going. So far, he's met people who adore him and then he's met people trying to beat him to a pulp; People like Bass Kai. Who's next? A _clown with electric stretchy arms_?! A guy with a _magnet attached to his forehead_?! A guy using _boomerangs_?! Or-Or better yet! A guy talking about " _making a popsicle of you_ "?!

Yeah, that'd be the day!

"May I ask for your identity, Blue Bomber?" Shade asked.

Neo whimpered and looked at Mega Man. The both of them knew it wasn't the brightest idea to give away their "secret identities" to someone they just met.

"I understand that you wish not to tell me your identities. It is rather... Unwise." Shade admitted, folding her arms across her chest. She then gave a tiny smile to the boy and reploid inside the device. "But you can trust me. Like you, I utilize Biometal data."

Neo looked at her in surprise. "Huuuh? Yo-You do?!"

"Of course. As of right now, I am wearing armor pieces." Shade said, demonstrating her gauntlets on her wrists and leg armor on her boots. "I am a... Chosen One..."

Neo gasped. "You're a Chosen One...?!"

" _Just like Ciel told us about..._ " Mega Man thought. " _Meeting others with Biometal data..._ "

Neo and Mega looked at each other once more. They were still unsure if they wanted to share their names… Even if this Shade was a... "Mega Man" or "Chosen One"...

Shade decided to break the silence with a serious situation. She understood why they were reluctant in sharing. It only made sense after all. "Blue Bomber, I think you and I should work together..."

"Say what?" Neo quickly asked.

Shade looked at him sternly. "There is an incoming threat, Blue Bomber... Or should I say... _Mega Man Neo_..."

Mega frowned. "Wait, how do you know _that_ name?"

Shade looked away as she recalled the scenario. "I had a few encounters with Bass Kai... I learned your name from him... Though, he knows a bit more about you than I..."

"What _else_ do you know about us?" Mega Man asked, sounding like he was suspicious.

"I know that you are Mega Man, the ancient robot from the 21st Century and that you are megamerged with a human..." Shade explained. "I got all of this information from Bass Kai and others who I have encountered."

Neo suddenly got a little... _pouty_. Hearing that name, Bass Kai, so much made his blood boil and.. childishly jealous. "Hgnnnn... That guy was so strong... But I know we could've beaten him...!

He then shook his fist in a antagonizing manner, gritting his teeth. "Next time we meet, we'll be ready for him!"

"Yeah!" Mega cheered.

Shade turned to look back at the hero before her. "I understand that you want to have a rematch with Bass Kai, but right now, he's of little concern."

Neo raised a brow. "Huh?"

"As we speak, there's an evil warrior who intends on causing havoc on the Earth; The " _Knight of Despair_ "..."

Neo and Mega Man perked up immediately. "The _Knight of Despair_!?" They cried in unison.

Shade nodded. "Yes."

The kunoichi walked closer to Mega Man Neo and sat down beside him. From up close, the human boy could see that she was pretty strong... yet a little soft. Perhaps that was her appearance that gave him these thoughts. Still, he felt _comfortable_ near her, which was a good feeling.

"She is responsible for the recent attacks, Neo. The attack on Tera City, Magne being a subject to Model W's corruption, all of it was planned." Shade then looked at Neo. "What wasn't planned, was _your_ appearance..."

Neo smiled sheepishly and twiddled his thumbs. "Hehe, yeah, well... Mega and I couldn't just stand by like nothing was happening...!"

"Neo, Mega Man, there's more attacks coming... And they will hit major cities..." Shade began. "...However, if you and I work together, we can defeat her, the Knight of Despair..."

Neo and Mega perked once again.

"Whoawhoawhoa! You want us...To work together with you...!? Th-This is awfully sudden, don't you think?!" Mega asked, nervous about the idea. He could've swore he heard her ask this a few moments ago, but he had finally caught on to what she was proposing.

Shade nodded. "That's right. Since we are the same, "Chosen Ones", I thought it'd be appropriate for us to work together. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I...Guess so..." Mega said.

"You are a strong hero, Neo. I understand if you do not trust me right away, but I think we can truly defeat her and save this world from another horrible war..." Shade said.

"So, you know about the past war... The Neo Arcadian War...?" Neo asked sadly.

Shade nodded once more. "Unfortunately... Yes, I do. I don't want history to repeat itself... So, will you work with me...?"

Neo looked at Mega worriedly before looking at Shade. "Ummm... Can you give us a second?"

Shade nodded again and got up from the bed. "Of course. I'll be in the Command Center if you need to talk to me..."

The kunoichi went to the door. Before she left the room, she used her peripheral vision to glance back at the young hero.

Once Shade had officially left, Neo started talking with Mega.

"I think we should work with her." Neo said to Mega.

"She _does_ sound honest... But I can't help but feel suspicious." Mega admitted. "This is very sudden, though she's got a point. Don't you think it's strange that after we met, all this crazy Maverick stuff has been happening? First Tera City and then the Forest of Voreius. These aren't random attacks; They are orchestrated!"

"Then there's that girl we saw after Uncle and his army showed up..." Neo recalled. "She was standing on top of that radio tower thingy... And then she teleported outta there..."

"She... _Might_ be the Knight of Despair that Bass Kai and Shade mentioned. We both felt Model W energy from her..." Mega said, recalling her appearance.

...

 _"Rokku," Mega spoke. Neo looked at the Combi-Carrier screen with a battle worn face. "She has a similar aura as Magne when he had the Model W... I think she's related to everything that's happened in the past hour or so."_

...

"If what Shade is saying is true, then we might finally meet this antagonist face to face very soon... That, and a major city in the Enstratos Region may be hit with another Maverick incursion...!" Mega cried with worry.

"Then... We should maybe work together with Shade!" Neo cried. "She seems to know a lot about this stuff! We can stop this Knight of Disrepair or whoever!"

"It's **Despair** , Rokku..." Mega corrected with a smile and a sweatdrop on his cheek. "But maybe you're right. She does seem to know a bit about what's going on. She can help us and we can help her."

"We can help each other out!" Neo beamed happily. "Double Win!"

"Alright, then it's settled. We'll work with Shade!" Mega announced.

* * *

Shade walked over to the control panel of the ship and started checking it's configurations, making sure they were in their proper places. One would think that piloting a Raider airship alone would be difficult, but fortunately for her, she picked an airship that did not require multiple pilots to control. In fact, this thing could be on auto pilot, like the majority of the airships could.

The kunoichi wanted to get back into flight soon so she could continue her mission: Stopping the Knight of Despair. However, she needed Mega Man Neo's cooperation to do so.

Soon, Mega Man Neo climbed into the Command Center, opening the hatch and letting himself in. Shade immediately turned around to find the young boy coming up to her.

"H-Hey, Shade?" Neo stammered.

"Oh, Neo. I'm glad you found the Command Center. My apologies for not giving you any directions..." Shade apologized. "I hope it didn't take you too long to find me..."

"Nah, we found you pretty fast honestly." Neo admitted.

"But, about your proposal Shade..." Mega started.

"Yes?" Shade raised a brow, curious to their answer.

Neo grinned. "We'll work with you~! We want to take this Knight of Despair down!"

Shade smiled a little upon hearing their acceptance. "I'm... Glad you accepted my proposal. Now with you both by my side, we can truly stop her and the Maverick incursions..."

Shade then turned around and walked back to her control panel. "We must get going right away...!"

Neo then walked closer to Shade as the airship began to lift off the ground. "Oh, and Shade?"

Shade took a small glance at Neo. "Yes?"

Neo then reached for his helmet and took it off, revealing his black, spiky/messy, hair. He grinned happily at his new companion. "Rokku! My name's Rokku! I'm glad to meet you Shade!"

"Me too!" Mega Man added.

Shade smiled and ruffled Neo/Rokku's hair, causing the young boy to blush. " _I'm glad to have met you too... Rokku...Mega Man..._ "

* * *

My apologizes for the long wait! ;_; I meant to finish this awhile ago. Now, this was going to be a much bigger Chapter, but then I remembered, " _Hey! I said I wasn't going to make these Chapters so freaking long unless ABSOLUTELY necessary!_ ", so I decided to split it up to two to possibly three parts.

However, unlike previously, I didn't write these parts in one single Chapter like I did for Chapter 5-6. Nope, now I gotta actually write Chapters 11 and 12 that continue from Chapter 10.

Let's talk about the Raider Airship for a sec. I looked at images on the **M** ega **M** an **K** nowledge **B** ase to get a visual idea of how a Raider Airship should look. Interior wise... I had to do that on my own. I assume that area where there's blue windows is the Command Center. Unlike the Guardian Base which had three operators piloting the ship, I decided that this airship could be piloted by a single person or on auto-pilot... Ya know, like a regular ol' airplane. XD

Hope you enjoy Ignitus, Neiva, and Shade's appearances! If you haven't seen their visual designs yet, you can check them out on my deviantART!

Though, there's a lot of questions... Who's this... _Wraith_? Who is the _Knight of Despair_ and what does she truly intend on doing to the world? Will Mega Man Neo and Shade be able to stop her and save the world? Stay tuned for future installments and find out~! (^_^)


	12. Chapter 11: Assault from the Water

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 11 - Assault from the Water

* * *

"So, where are we Shade?" Mega Man Neo asked.

Neo and Shade exited out of the Raider Airship and onto the grassy fields. They have been in flight for a good 30 minutes after all. They stood before a large entrance leading into a cavern. Shade took a step forth.

"The Raider Airship's fuel tank is empty. We can no longer use the airship unfortunately." Shade explained. "However, I don't think that'll be a problem."

Shade turned her head to Neo with a stern expression. "Neo, Mega, before us is an _Energy Crystal Mine_."

"An Energy Crystal Mine...?" Neo inquired.

"That's right. I have intel that Mavericks are lurking around this area." Shade said.

"Umm, yeah? Mavericks tend to lurk around everywhere." Neo chuckled with sweat down his cheek.

"No, these aren't wild Mavericks, Neo. Inside this mine is Mavericks under leadership. They are a organized group in other words." Shade explained, looking ahead. "I am told that there is something dangerous being unearthed within this mine; A _fragment from an ancient weapon_ , I was told..."

"If you don't mind me asking Shade, but who has been telling you this type of information...?" Mega Man asked.

"Bass Kai. He tells me a lot of things despite being my enemy... There are zero signs of deceit in his clues, however..." Shade said.

Neo shrugs and clenches his fists. "Alright, so we got some Mavericks digging around for some ancient weapon fragments! Nothing we can't handle, right!?"

Shade did not answer. Instead, she moved her scarf over her lips and held out her arm. To Neo's surprise, a beam-katana materialized out of thin air and she gripped onto it.

"Wha-"

Before Neo could ask the kunoichi any questions, she dashed off into the cavern at such great speed. The surprising part? She made zero sounds in her foot steps! She really _IS_ a kunoichi! He could see her getting farther and farther as she ran into the cavern.

"Whoa...! Where did that beam-sword thingie come from...!?" Neo asked in awe.

"I think that's a beam-katana or something like that." Mega Man explained, also in awe at Shade's speed.

"A-Ah! We gotta catch up with her!" Neo cried.

With that, he broke into a run and sped into the cavern. As he got deeper into the cavern, the light coming from the crystals embedded into the wall were illuminating the dark atmosphere. Though these crystals weren't the Energy Crystals, they were crystals of red and yellow and such. Still, they provided him enough light to traverse through the cavern.

"Geez, it's kinda dark, but even without the crystals' lights... I can see a little..." Neo said.

"The reason you can see a little is a result of Megamerging with me. You have some of my sight, Rokku." Mega explained.

"Really? Huh, we it does help a bit... I can see farther than usual too. But I knew that part already, hehe." Neo chuckled. "But oh man! Shade already gotten so far away...! **_SHAA~AAAAADE_**...!"

Neo started calling out to her. Where did that speedy kunoichi go...?

He traversed further and eventually came to an opening. He stopped as he reached the edge. Before him was a chasm of beautiful sparkles illuminating from the crystals and the glistening water below. There was a bridge imitating the color of this chasm. It was a beautiful sight.

Tons of quartz of unimaginative magical beauty...

"Wow... This is a Energy Crystal Mine, huh...?" Neo whistled. "So pretty..."

"Really cool!" Mega beamed.

"Neo!"

Mega Man Neo looked ahead to the source of the call. To his surprise, he found Shade standing on the tip of a cherry colored crystal. She was in a squatting position, and the tip of her feet stood perfectly balanced on the tip of the crystal. She used her peripheral vision to gaze back at Neo who stood before the bridge and the water below it.

"Shade...!" Neo gasped, surprised at how he didn't even see her despite clearly being in front of him.

"...Try not to get _too_ distracted by this cavern's beauty..." Shade advised him. "The enemy is near..."

Neo began to walk across the bridge to get closer to Shade. "Well, should we just _rush and attack_?"

"Not just yet." Shade answered. "Fighting the enemy does not always involve jumping in the fray blindly. Sometimes, we must analyze our situation first before we take action. Never forget that, Mega Man Neo."

The kunoichi began to effortlessly jump from crystal to crystal; Standing on the pointed tips of the crystals each time. Neo had to admit that Shade was... Kinda showing off. True, her accuracy of perfect balance was really cool, but... Was her jumping from crystal to crystal necessary? Couldn't she just walk on the bridge right next to him? He would never ask Shade this out loud, but still.

"We need to split up for just a little while." Shade said.

"Huh? Why?" Mega asked curiously.

"To make things a little bit easier. We can assess the situation on our own and then regroup to combine our information. Besides, I have a very strong feeling that we'll each find something of value..." Shade then stopped jumping, and blushed a bit. A small amount of sweet slid down her cheek as she gazed away from Neo for a second to look at the water.

"...A-And by value, I don't mean the Energy Crystals of course..." Shade blushed.

Neo hadn't noticed Shade had stopped nor that she had blushed. He just shrugged at Shade's plan. "Alright, split up it is!"

Suddenly, as if on cue, the water began to shake, making waves. Shade turned her attention to the water, noticing... _something_ moving within it. Her eyes widened once she saw it's shadow.

"NEO! Look out!" Shade called out.

By the time Neo turned around, a gigantic serpent mechaniloid burst upwards, towering over Neo. The boy's eyes shrunk in shock and fear. Neo began to take quick steps backwards to get some distance from the serpent. Before Neo could shoot a few rounds from his Mega-Buster, the serpent mechaniloid lunged at Neo. Shade watched in horror as the serpent dove at Neo and grabbed him with it's big, wide jaws as it broke the bridge and entered the water.

" _ **NEO!**_ " Shade cried out.

~Metroid: Zero Mission - VS. Deorem, Mua~

Neo was being dragged through the water by the serpent mechaniloid. Though he wasn't swallowed (though this mechaniloid didn't seem capable of consumption), he was held captive by it's jaws. To Neo's surprise, he...wasn't drowning. He was _breathing_ underwater. But now was not the time to question his abilities...! He needed to escape before this serpent took him to who knows where!

Neo equipped his Mega-Knuckles and started bashing on the serpent's head. Though Neo's armor was extremely tough, this snake mechaniloid could potentially snap him in half if he takes too long. The hero's beating started to make the serpent mechaniloid start panicking, wailing about and changing it's course. Neo's punches started to grow stronger, making a dent on the serpent mechaniloid's face and causing it to really freak out. It dashed towards a wall and smashed it's head against it, slightly damaging Neo but no where near enough to stop his assault.

The serpent mechaniloid shook it's head violently, causing it to accidentally release Neo. The young hero spun a bit before hovering in the water. The second he was released, he began to swim to a open hole that could lead to his freedom from this dangerous sea mechaniloid. As expected, the serpent gave chase, attempting to snatch Neo again. As he swam, Neo turned around and pointed his Mega-Buster at the mechaniloid. Once it opened it's mouth to try and grab Neo, the hero released a Charged Shot into it's mouth. The mechaniloid started wailing and screeching in pain. With it slowing down a little, Neo took the opportunity to go for his escape.

Despite the assault, the serpent was tenacious, dashing for Neo again. The young boy knew he didn't have time to shoot at him again and just kept swimming. He was getting really close to the hole that would lead him out of the water. Using his Boot-Boosters, Neo jetted upwards and flew into the air a bit before landing on the rocky ground. The serpent had also flew out of the water in an attempt to catch Neo, but it had missed it's target and hit the ceiling, causing it to fall back into the water. It seemed that for the moment, Neo had escaped the serpent mechaniloid.

"That...Was intense..." Neo sighed, holding onto his chest.

"No kidding..." Mega added.

Neo looked forward and gazed upon the multiple pathways. Who knew where they'd lead him.

"I know Shade said we should split up but... This isn't what I had in mind." Mega quipped, sweat sliding down his cheek.

Soon, a voice other than Mega's was faintly heard.

"-eo...!"

Neo placed a hand on his left ear piece, connecting his Comm. Link. He had nearly forgotten that he had shared his comm. link frequency with her while on their way to this place. "H-Hello? Shade?"

Neo could've swore he heard Shade sigh in relief. "Thank goodness... I was really concerned... But I suppose I should've put more trust in you and your survival..."

"It's okay Shade. I would've felt the same way if I was you." Mega Man assured her with a smile, though she couldn't see it.

"Thank you..." Shade's tone got more serious. "Listen, wherever you are, press forward. Though this isn't _exactly_ how I imagined us splitting up, it'll suffice for the moment."

"Hehehe, yeah, I didn't think a giant snake mechaniloid would be lurking around here!" Neo sweatdropped.

"We'll meet up again later. I trust you'll be alive in the end..." Shade said.

"Yeah, same to you~!" Neo quipped.

Shade smiled and chuckled silently. "Fair enough. Farewell for now."

With that, Shade disconnected her communication link with Neo and Mega.

"In any case, we should... Look around I guess." Neo suggested. "We'll meet up with Shade later, so in the mean time, we can search for that "ancient weapon fragment" that's being unearthed...!"

 ** _MISSION START!_**

~Super Smash Bros. Melee - Brinstar~

With that, Neo started to run into the cavern's "hallway" until he reached a gaping entryway that led to a much more open area, complete with platform pillars, bridges, mini-mountains, and strangely broken and scattered railroad tracks. As if the platform pillars weren't dangerous enough, the area was filled with loads of bottomless pits. Though like Shade had said, there were Mavericks down here; Specifically Galleons and planted Whirling 38s and 44s on the ceilings and grounds. As expected of caverns like these, there were also Batties, bat-like mechaniloids, around here too. Now, batties Neo understood, it was only natural for them to lurk around here, but Galleons and the others don't belong here.

Now it was time to go buck wild on these Mavericks! Without a second to spare, Neo jumped out of the mini-cavern and out in the open. How childish of him, to just reveal himself right away without a possibility his presence will be known. Oh well.

As predicted, the Galleons turned their attention to the approaching Neo. The Galleon Hunters, the ones with Busters, aimed and opened fire on the falling Blue Bomber. With a rather cocky grin, Neo maneuvered himself in the air to dodge each and every one of their shots. Once he landed on a platform, he ran and started shooting at the Galleons with his Mega-Buster, knocking a few into the pits. A Galleon Assault, ones with a large energy blade, rushed towards Neo and slashed at him only to miss when the hero slid between the mechaniloid's legs. Before it had time to turn around, it exploded into pieces after reaching a punch to the back with Neo's Mega-Knuckle.

The Blue Bomber pressed forward, jumping into the air to dodge a heat-seeking missile from a Galleon Bazooka, those who carry rocket launchers, and land on their head to launch himself further into the air to get some distance from the arriving Galleon Hunters, Assaults and Bazookas.

After jumping on three platform pillars (almost tripping on the second one), he came across a long railroad track that wasn't broken. Before him was a mine-cart. It didn't take a genius to know what this meant. Mega had assumed that this rather long and large mine-cart is used to transport _something_ to the other side. Clearly, they needed to jack this mine-cart and head to it's destination!

Hopping into the mine-cart and pulling the lever, Neo was speeding along the rails, heading towards his unknown destination. The Galleons that were in pursuit of him stopped chasing and starting shooting at him. Their aim was all off, missing both Neo and the mine-cart, failing to stop him. Moments after their failure, Galleon Wings, Galleons with flight-units attached to their backs, and Galleon Sledders, Galleons using aero-sleds with jet engines attached to them, took the lead and followed Neo in hot pursuit.

As the hero sat back and enjoyed the ride, his eyes widened comically when he saw a energy shot past right by his head. Immediately, he turned around to find Galleon Wings and Galleon Sledders hot on his trail. In retaliation, Neo aimed his Mega-Buster and started shooting back. Unfortunately for him, Neo's mine-cart was strangely hitting bumps like a rollercoaster, causing him to miss his targets. Persistently, Neo kept aiming his Buster in an attempt to hit a few of these Galleons and get them off his back.

The Galleon Wings dodged easily around Neo's shots and returned fire. One of their shots successfully hit Neo in the shoulder. Fortunately his armor came with shoulder guards, but that still stung a bit. Irritated, Neo kept shooting back at them. Suddenly, there was two more railroad tracks that appeared on both sides and in came mine-carts with three Galleon Hunters in them. Neo had three Galleon Hunters on his sides and a bunch of Galleon Wings and Sledders right behind him.

Great. _Juuuust_ great.

Neo ducked his head in the mine-cart to avoid the six Galleon Hunters' shots. They soon aimed at the cart itself and opened fire. The second those multiple shots hit the cart, it started shaking violently. They had destroyed one of the four wheels of the cart, causing Neo to start shaking around. This cart was going to break soon and that was no good.

However, as if luck was on his side, a Galleon Sledder hovered above him. The Galleon aimed it's bazooka at Neo to fire, but the Blue Bomber grabbed a hold of the aero-sled/hoverboard and kicked the Galleon off of it and taking the transportation device for himself. Now, Neo had a much faster way of transportation: A hoverboard~!

Neo's feet were stuck onto the board, meaning he could stay on it unless something knocks him off or if he freely chooses to jump off it. Neo grinned in excitement and knelt down to pick up the speed. However, unlike the mine-cart which was already on a set path, Neo had full control of this hoverboard, meaning he had to watch where he was going and that he had little time to look back and return fire.

Neo noticed with a quick glance the mine-cart he was previously using had been destroyed by the Galleon Hunters. Good thing he snagged this hoverboard, huh? However, the Galleons were still firing at him and if they hit this hoverboard, he might be out of luck. He needed to ditch these jerks!

Following the railroad tracks to get to his destination, Neo purposely moved from side to side to dodge enemy fire, though he attempted to do it in a unpredictable manner in order to prevent the Galleons from catching a pattern and destroying said pattern. He, however, could not keep doing this forever. So with a quick stop, he turned around and aimed his Mega-Buster at one of the mine-carts containing three Galleon Hunters and released a Charged Shot. The blast destroyed the mine-cart completely along with the Galleon Hunters. Both the mine-cart pieces and Galleon Hunter pieces descended into the pit below. With those out of the way, he had less enemy fire after him so he resumed flying ahead.

Up ahead, Neo could see the entryways for where the mine-carts would enter through their specific paths. However, he noticed Galleon Hunters on the other side had put up electric gates, blocking the path. Neo looked above and noticed what appeared to be a alternate pathway, clouded by rocky spikes and such.

Neo snickered and ascended towards that area. Unfortunately for the one mine-cart that didn't get destroyed by Neo, it, along with the three Galleon Hunters boarding it, hit the electric gate and exploded upon impact. The Galleon Wings and other Galleon Sledders were also going too fast to stop and also hit the walls and some hitting the electric gateway.

Neo had knelt down to avoid hitting any of the spikes on the walls and jumped off the hoverboard to land on the ground. He dusted himself off and took a step back to look down to see the other Galleon Wings and Sledders searching around for him. They had zero idea he was inside the ceiling above. He snickered again and ran forward, having avoided the Galleons.

"Hehe, that was fun~!" Neo exclaimed as he jogged happily along the path.

The further he went, the closer he was approaching another hole. He jumped down the hole and landed on a really long platform with a large body of water below it. The platform wasn't floating on the water; No, it was stuck against a wall on the left side. This particular chasm was bright and glistening with bright blue. Behind him was a platform that had a large door of major importance. Before him was the same thing. Were these... _Boss Doors_ or something?

~Metroid: Zero Mission - VS. Deorem, Mua~

Suddenly, Neo heard a screech and before him towered the serpent mechaniloid from before. Neo had now gotten a much clearer look at this mechanical beast. It was a giant sea seprent-like mechaniloid made of several larger parts combined. The body was covered in special golden plating that looked impenetrable. Aside from the golden plating, the primary color of this serpent was a dirty color of emerald and it's eyes flashed white as did the spike gems on each large piece of metal that connected to form the snake-like body.

The Blue Bomber clenched his right fist and pointed dramatically at the serpent.

"You again! This time I'll destroy you!" Neo threatened.

The serpent mechaniloid screeched at him and gazed it's robotic, deadly eyes at it's opponent with pure malice. It had accepted the Blue Bomber's challenge...!

 ** _Who will survive?!  
VS...Sea Aspis!_**

The Sea Aspis lunged at Neo and snapped it's large jaws in an attempt to chomp the hero in half, but Neo had side-stepped out of the way. From just being on the side of the mechaniloid, Neo could see that it was freaking huge! The Sea Aspis slithered along the platform before entering back into the water. For Neo's own safety, he should stay out of the water. Besides, the Sea Aspis had a bigger advantage under water than above... Or so he hoped.

The Sea Aspis stuck it's head out of the water and opened it's jaws again. Neo braced for another lunge attack, but no, that didn't come. Instead, the spiked gems on it's body started lighting up one by one, as if... Something was coming out...! In moments, the serpent shot out a beam of...water? Even Neo knew that the water pressure of this "hydro laser" was pretty dangerous, meaning he would be wise to avoid that beam.

" _That water gun thingie doesn't look very nice..._ " Neo whimpered in his thoughts.

" _It looks like it'll push you if it touches you, but I have a feeling the high pressure is dangerous enough to harm you...! Stay outta it's way!_ " Mega Man warned.

The Sea Aspis aimed it's hydro laser at the ceiling before slowly descending down in an attempt to hit Neo. Thinking fast, the Blue Bomber ran to the other side and jumped into the water. However, he held onto the edge so he could jump right back on the platform. Once the Sea Aspis finished it's hydro laser, it dove back into the water to go and get Neo. Immediately, Neo had jumped back onto the platform as planned. What Neo didn't realize was that the Sea Aspis aimed it's hydro laser at the ceiling for a reason. Big sharp and deadly E-Crystals started falling down. Though these crystals wouldn't harm Neo too much, they would still hurt! He dodge-rolled out of the way to avoid getting hit by the crystals.

The Sea Aspis appeared on the other side where Neo was initially hanging off of and stuck it's head out again. This time, it laid it's head down on the platform and opened it's mouth again. Once more, it released it's hydro laser. Neo had little time to react and was hit back the high pressure water. He was pushed back into the water. Immediately after hitting it's target, it dove back into the water and reached out to snatch Neo up. The Blue Bomber used his boot-boosters to jet out of the water of the beast, escaping getting chomped in half. The serpent wasn't done just yet. It turned around and tried again. Neo aimed his Buster at the Sea Aspis and released a Charged Shot at it's opened mouth. Once the blast collided, the Sea Aspis wailed about in pain.

Upon seeing this action, Neo remembered what he did to escape the Sea Aspis' grip the very first time: He had punched at it's head to make it let him go...!

" _His head... That's gotta be his weak point...!_ " Neo thought. " _I think my shot was a little off though... If I aim_ just _right, we can actually defeat this snake!_ "

While the Sea Aspis was slowly recovering from that painful blast, Neo took this opportunity to return back to the platform in order to have an advantage. Once back on the platform, he began to charge his Buster again for when the time was just right. The Sea Aspis stuck it's head out from the other side and once again aimed at the ceiling. It shot out it's hydro laser and slowly descended down. Neo once more headed for the edge to dodge the beam. Immediately after the Sea Aspis stopped and dove back into the water, Neo jumped back onto the platform and dodged the falling E-Crystals.

" _Just like a Boss Fight...!_ " Neo thought excitedly. " _Find it's pattern, dodge the attacks, and then open fire at it when you have the chance!_ "

From the other side, the Sea Aspis stuck it's head out again, this time lying down on the platform just like before. Neo would jump into the water, but this time, he decided to run towards the beast. Just as it released it's hydro laser, Neo jumped on top of the Sea Aspis' head and equipped his Mega-Knuckle with his left hand. He then started to punch at the top of the Sea Aspis' head. He had remembered that he put a dent or two in it when it had captured him. Now he could further damage the beast and interrupt it's attack early in order to get a good shot in!

The Sea Aspis started wailing from Neo's punches, prompting the hero to jump off and land back on the platform. Getting down on one knee and aiming his Mega-Buster at the Sea Aspis, he let out a battle cry.

" ** _Yaaaaaaaaah!_** "

With that cry, Neo released a Charged Shot at the Sea Aspis. It tore _right_ through it's head, revealing circuits sparking through the hole. It's eyes flickered before finally dimming down, causing the mechaniloid to go offline indefinitely. Suddenly, it started to explode violently as the beast slowly slid into the water to continue exploding. Once the explosions finished, Neo got on both of his knees, held onto the edge and stuck his head inside. With a blank, childish face, Neo could see the Sea Aspis' body broken up in pieces. He stuck his head back out and let out a satisfying sigh.

"Once again, we did it Mega~!" Neo cheered, raising his fist victoriously.

"Yes we did partner!" Mega agreed, raising his own fist.

"Now, let's keep moving!" Neo said.

The hero hopped onto his feet and hopped ahead to the "Boss Door". The door was turning and unlocking until it finally opened. Neo went inside only to meet the same door. He approached it and the same thing happened. Was that a "Boss Hallway" or something?

Anyway, after further traveling into the caverns without a single enemy approached, Neo had reached what he thinks is, the "center". It was a really big place with Galleons using mine-carts to transport loads of E-Crystals with as well as other materials such as _Litnium_. At the very bottom was a large door leading to somewhere important it seemed. Though he couldn't see it, he felt and heard a drill close by.

Neo, who was at the very top of this area, looked down at this scene, in awe at the amount of E-Crystals being taken.

"Whoa... This is like the motherload...!" Neo said, spreading out his arms.

"This looks like the base of operations, where they are trying to unearth that ancient weapon fragment...!" Mega Man assumed.

Neo began to contact Shade again. "Pssh! Shade...! Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can." Shade immediately responded. "What's the situation?"

"Well, Mega and I finally destroyed that snake mechaniloid for one." Neo said proudly. "But I think we made it to the enemy's... Base of Operations. Tons of Galleons are carrying E-Crystals in mine-carts and other materials that I never seen before... I think I see one of them with Ceratanium...!"

"Hmm, so it looks like they're doing much more than just unearthing that ancient weapon fragment..." Shade said. "See what you can do right now, but try not to draw too much attention. I _might_ be near where you are. I feel a drill close by and I'd like to assume that's where their mining operation is taking place..."

"Alright, we'll meet up soon!" Neo says as he disconnects the link. "If this really is their base of operations, then we better get to stopping them!"

"R-Rokku! Wait! What did Shade _just_ say about drawing attention...!?"

It was too late. Neo had jumped down from the 1st floor to the 4th floor. There appeared to be 8 floors, the 8th one being where Neo and Mega saw that large door. He apparently didn't think that there was a possibility of him being spotted despite how many Galleons were in the area. He figured they were too focused on the E-Crystals and other materials to notice him. Not exactly the brightest way of thinking...

"Well, well, look who finally decided to show his face...!"

Neo froze and slowly turned to his side towards the source of that masculine voice. He saw two individuals standing there, looking at him; A male and a female, both looking like young teenagers like Rokku himself. The male had red and black armor and had orange-fiery like hair and the female was dressed in light blue clothing and had long hair and... "rabbit-like" antennas on her head.

"Wha...?" Neo was caught off guard by their sudden appearance...Then again, they probably were doing whatever until they heard Neo land beside them... Not very subtle "Blue Bomber".

The male grinned villainous as he cracked his knuckles. The female on the other hand, blushed heavily with a bright smile on her face. She pointed cheerfully at Neo, holding her cheek with her free hand.

"I-It's him...! I'm finally meeting **_the_ ** Blue Bomber...!" The girl cried happily. It was taking every bit of her strength not to lunge and hug him tightly.

"So, you're the one they call the "Blue Bomber", eh?" The boy asked, a snarky look plastered on his face.

"W-Who are you?" Neo asked. "Did you guys get lost in here or something?"

The boy grinned villainously. He held out his hands and gazed daggers at his upcoming opponent, a fiery aura being built around him. Neo... Didn't like where this was going...

" _I am **Ignitus**! The strongest of the Celestial Masters! Here and now, I will destroy you Blue Bomber!_ "


	13. Chapter 12: Don't Try To Stop Me!

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 12 - Don't Try To Stop Me!

* * *

"C-Celestial Masters...?" Neo repeated in awe and confusion.

"That's right _Mega Man_ ~!" Neiva answered with cheer. "Four siblings working hard to achieve our dreams!"

Ignitus glared at his sister in agitation. "Neiva, shut your mouth! Our ENEMY doesn't need to know-"

"W-Wait! Y-You know I'm... Mega Man!?" Mega panicked.

Ignitus groaned, knowing that this was coming. "Of course we do; Ancient robot from the 21st Century! Now you're a full-on reploid and using Biometal data to megamerge with your host. _Just like father said_..."

Neo clenched his left fist and pointed at the two siblings dramatically. "I want some answers! Who _are_ you guys!? What's your plan!?"

Ignitus just frowned at the hero. "You know my name. Isn't _THAT_ good enough? Besides, after your sloppy performance against Bass Kai, you don't even _deserve_ to know much more than that... Especially since you're a deadman anyway."

"You're so rude Ignitus!" Neiva complained with pink blush on her cheeks. "Since my big brother is a big jerk, _I'll_ tell you a few things!"

Ignitus angrily turned to her sister and began barking at her. "Neiva! Don't you dare tell them ANY-"

Neiva interrupted her brother by shooting a... Ice projectile into his face from the palm of her hand, knocking him on the floor. The weirdest thing is that Neiva just hit her brother like it was nothing. Neo and Mega stared in awe at what Neiva just did, shooting ice projectiles. Was she some type of... Ice elemental person or whatever?

"Allow me to introduce myself, Blue Bomber~!" Neiva began happily. She then got extra close to the hero, gazing into his eyes with love-struck expression. In all honesty, Neo couldn't exactly tell if Neiva was a " _bad guy_ " given how she's acting. Though he could say that he was taller than her...By two inches... "My name is _Neiva_ ~! Cute name, huh~?"

Neo just stared at Neiva. He had zero idea that she was acting all cutesy around him because she had a crush on him... Or Mega Man... Or possibly both. Still, those rabbit ear-like antennas on her head _did_ look pretty cute and cool!

"Cute name? Um, yeah!" Neo responded with a slightly nervous grin while scratching the top of his helmet and shrugging.

"A-Ah! Y-You really think so?" Neiva asked, blushing fiercely and a bright smile on her face.

"Yeah, it sounds cute to me! (I guess...!)" Neo said with a genuine smile.

" _Kyaaaaaah~!_ I'm so happy! Mega likes my name~!" Neiva screamed with joy, hugging Neo tightly. The hero's cheeks started to warm up upon feeling Neiva's cozy embrace. It felt...Nice. Neo took a look at Mega in his Combi-Carrier, but the reploid just shrugged happily. Both of them had the same question in their minds: " _Is this girl_ REALLY _a bad guy?_ "

"A-Anyway Blue Bomber," Neiva resumed after she politely released her hug on Neo. "We know that you're actually called _Mega Man Neo_ , we know that you're using a device with Biometal data, but we _don't_ know where it came from..."

"S-So... You know a bit about who I am..." Mega Man said with a small laugh. Neiva looked at the reploid in the Combi-Carrier, giving him her attention. "But... _**How**_ do you know...?"

"Oh! We know because-"

Ignitus, having finally gotten up, placed his hand against his sister's face, shoving her aside. "Shut! Your! **TRAP!** "

Neiva pouted and looked away with a 'hmph!'. "Jerk..."

"How about you actually do something **RIGHT** and go get that Model W!" Ignitus ordered. "I'm sure those weak and crappy Galleons are almost done with unearthing it!"

Neo and Mega jumped in shock and surprise. " **A MODEL W?!** " They screamed in unison.

Ignitus turned to them with a mischievous grin. "Of course! What else could it be?!"

"The M-Model W... That must be the _fragment from an ancient weapon_...!" Neo inquired.

Ignitus raised a brow in surprise. "Huh, you actually know where it originates from? Well, I guess you aren't _that_ hopeless then. Saves me the trouble of explaining, heh!"

"N-Neiva! Don't get that Model W!" Neo cried.

Neiva shook her head with a smile. "Sorry~! Even if it's _you_ asking me not to Mega Man Neo, I need to do this!"

Neo's eyebrow twitched upon hearing that. " _Well, I guess she's_ kinda _a bad guy_..."

Neiva ran and jumped into the center, landing on the bottom and standing before the large door harboring the Model W.

" _Neivaaaaaa_! Don't!" Neo cried comically.

"Shut your mouth, moron!" Ignitus barked, prompting the hero to look at him. "She's not your buddy! She's your enemy; Just like me!"

"W-Whatever the case, I-I'll stop you!" Neo said, getting into a battle stance.

Ignitus rolled his eyes. " _You_? Stop _me_? Please. If you're no match for Bass Kai then you're definitely no match for me, Mega Man Neo!"

Neo growled. This jerk has reminded him so many times of his defeat against Bass Kai. It wasn't that he didn't put up a fight, because he certainly did. Just knowing that he lost... Brought fear to him.

He's been trying to forget about that time he lost, but it keeps coming back to him. It makes him wonder what if he lost against someone who held the key to ruling or destroying the world? What then? These thoughts had scared him and he's been trying desperately to act like that never happened. But with people like Ignitus who is aware of his defeat, it makes it difficult.

Neo shook his fists, raring to go. "I... No... **_We'll_ ** beat you...! That I promise!"

"Fat chance, Neo..." Ignitus grinned and dashed towards his opponent at incredible speed. "... **But you're welcome to try**!"

 _ **VS...Ignitus!**_

Neo noticed that Ignitus had enlarged his hands, looking similar to Mega-Knuckles that he uses... Though he noticed some type of... flamethrower on top of his wrists!

Wasting no time, Neo equipped his Mega-Knuckles and ran towards Ignitus, letting out a battle cry. Ignitus grinned and threw the first punch. His eyes widened when he saw Neo effortlessly grasp hold of his fist.

"Whoa... You... Grabbed my fist...!" Ignitus said in awe. "A single punch from me can demolish an **ENTIRE** airship! But you grabbed hold of it was just a ball! And you **barely** moved too!"

Neo glared at Ignitus as he clenched onto his fist. "I-I-I-I-I told you...! _We'll_ _beat you_!"

Ignitus grinned in sanctification. " _Heh, it looks like he might be a challenge after all!_ "

"We'll see about that!" Ignitus yelled as he threw his other fist. As anticipated, Neo grabbed that fist too. "Eat this!"

Suddenly, in slow motion, Neo could see heat forming into the barrel of Ignitus' flamethrower. He knew it was coming!

Large bursts of flames erupted out of his weapon and hit Neo in the face. He stumbled backwards a bit, shaking off the pain.

"Ah, it looks like your face survived my deadly _Hell Blazer_!" Ignitus commented. "You _really_ are strong... But you're just gonna make this a whole lot more painful shrimp!"

Neo wiped his face with his fist, glaring at Ignitus. "Sh-Shut up!"

The enraged Blue Bomber ran towards his opponent, pulling out his Mega-Buster and charging it. Ignitus just grinned in absolute excitement.

* * *

Shade dashed through the caverns, beam-katana out and in hand. Her stern expression grew as she had this sudden feeling that something bad was going to happen soon if she hadn't picked up the pace.

Up ahead she saw a electric gate, possibly planted by the Galleons to prevent intruders from entering. However, this was not going to stop the kunoichi. With a few swift strikes at the gate's support bolts, disabling the electricity and causing the gate to fall apart.

She pressed onward, arriving in a large area where tons of Galleons were using mine-carts to carry tons of Energy Crystals. Upon further inspection, she could see there was higher floors in this part of the cavern. Counting, she could tell she was on the 4th floor.

However, the sounds of a battling ensuing caught her attention more than the unsuspecting Galleons. Looking for the source, Shade's eyes widened when she saw Neo flying towards a indigo rock, smashing it and falling onto the ground head first. She saw him jump onto his feet immediately, acting as if it didn't phase him. He jumped backwards, dodging his opponent smashing his fist into the ground.

Shade knew she had to get over there...Now.

* * *

Neo had jumped backgrounds, defending himself from the debris that shot out from the ground after Ignitus shoved his fist into it. Though he little time to react to Ignitus throwing his fist at Neo's cheek. Neo's left eye was forced closed and his right eye shot wide open, replacing his pupil with a yellow star. Ignitus' punch hit him so hard that his helmet was almost taken off of Neo's head, revealing some of Neo's black hair.

The punch sent Neo flying towards the ground, skidding on and off it and stopping near the edge. Neo slowly fixed his helmet back into place and glared at Ignitus slowly walking towards him with that intimidating expression.

"Come on punk!" Ignitus barked. "Show me that you're gonna beat me!"

Neo jumped back on his feet and released a Charged Shot at his opponent. Ignitus was caught off guard and took the hit, sending him flying the same way he had made Neo fly. The hero wasn't done yet. He ran towards Ignitus and equipped his Mega-Knuckles again. Ignitus growled and sprung into the battle once again. The two threw fists at each other, hoping that one of their punches would connect successfully.

Neo threw a jab at Ignitus' face, but the bruiser stepped out of the way of it and then dodged Neo's overhead, spin kick. Ignitus went for a uppercut, but Neo jumped over Ignitus completely, aiming to punch his foe in the back. Ignitus quickly turned around and countered Neo's punch with his own fist. The powerhouse threw his leg at Neo's head but he purposely fell backwards, landing on his hands and letting his leg kick Ignitus in the chin, sending him back two feet.

Ignitus rubbed his chin in anger. Aiming his flamethrower, he began charging a heated plasma sphere, looking like a miniature sun. Neo decided to counter with his own Charged Shot, aiming his Buster and charging. Once at maximum charge, the fighters released their Charged Shots. The colliding blasts created a explosion and shockwave, causing dust to fly about.

Neo could see Ignitus immediately dash at him, his right fist engulfed in flames. Neo couldn't believe Ignitus was moving _THIS_ fast now! He could tell his eyes were more crimson than before...!

Ignitus gave Neo a hard punch to the gut, causing the boy to scream out in agony. The punch sent Neo flying towards the ceiling, causing him to get stuck onto it for a few seconds before slowly falling off of it. Ignitus then jumped into the air and threw a downward punch, sending Neo flying towards the ground.

Neo felt pain all through his body. He didn't feel like moving anymore as just trying to would make his body ache in agony.

"C-C'mon Rokku! We gotta keep fighting...!" Mega encouraged his partner.

"It...Hurts... So much..." Neo whimpered.

Ignitus landed on the ground and started walking towards Neo's position. "What's the matter!? Was that entire fight completely pointless!? To show that you can't beat me like you said you could!?"

Neo winced. Each movement he attempted to do hurt.

"Looks like I was right after all!" Ignitus grinned, still making his way towards him. "You're weak! Like I said before, if you can't beat Bass Kai then you can't beat me!"

Suddenly, memories of his defeat by the hands of Bass Kai flashed before his eyes. The punch to his abdomen, the kick to the face, all of it... This was almost a recreation of that scenario... And Rokku didn't like it at all...!

Before Ignitus could get any closer to Neo, three shurikens pierced the ground, causing the warrior to look back in annoyance. Standing there in a ninja-like pose was Shade, glaring at Ignitus with a look of absolute malice.

"Step away from him... **Ignitus**..." Shade warned.

Ignitus gasped a bit before turning fully around to face the kunoichi. He growled in anger. " **YOU...!** "

"Neo!" Shade called out. "What are you doing!? Get up and resume the fight!"

Neo winced more. "I-I can't... M-M-My body..."

Shade frowned in disappointment. "Is that it then?! Are you going to let it all end here!?"

Ignitus dashed towards Shade, aiming his flamethrower at Shade. "You're encouraging that deadbeat?! What a pointless gesture!"

Shade materialized a gigantic shuriken nearly as big as herself. Placed on her wrist, she spun the ninja star just as Ignitus began shooting his flames at her. The flames just bounced off the spinning ninja star. Slowly, Shade paced around Ignitus, waiting for the right moment to strike at him. All the while, the kunoichi glanced at Neo just watching helplessly.

"Are you just going to sit there and die!?" Shade screamed. "After all you said you wanted to do!? You disappoint me Mega Man Neo!"

Neo felt like going off someplace to hide. This was humiliating... Absolutely humiliating... Shade was fighting _his_ battle...! He should be fighting him... Alongside her...!

"Rokku, get up!" Mega Man said. "We can keep fighting...!"

"I-I-I-I..." Neo stuttered.

"GET UP!" Mega Man yelled. "WE WON'T LOSE!"

Neo flinched upon hearing his friend yell at him. Mega looked actually angry at him right now...

"You don't want a repeat of what happened with Bass Kai... And neither do I...!" Mega said. "But we WILL get a repeat of that if we sit here and die quietly! So, what are you going to do?!"

Neo slowly started to twitch. "I'm... Going to fight..."

"I can't hear you Rokku! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?!" Mega screamed.

Neo felt a fire burn in his heart. This fire started to deliver energy to his body. A surge of energy was coursing through his body. This energy that's pushing him to get up and beat his foes...!

"I'm... Going... to **FIGHT!** " Neo cried.

Shade slashed at Ignitus, giving the warrior cuts on his armor and some on his face. He then punched the ground, forcing Shade backwards. Ignitus swiped his arm to the side, panting.

"Why are you defending a weakling!?" Ignitus asked. "Especially when you can't even defend yourself!? Look at you, you _hardly_ have armor or weapons to beat someone like me!"

Shade clenched her beam-katana and squinted angrily at Ignitus. Despite how angry she looked, she spoke in her calm tone that was slowly raising to anger.

"I don't need heavy armor or a multitude of weapons. As long as I have my beam-katana and my shurikens, I'll defeat you without issue at all." Shade then clenched her teeth. "So don't you _dare_ threaten me or my allies."

Shade was getting ready to strike again, but she suddenly stopped before she could move. A soft smile grew across her face, slowly standing straight. She decided to lower her scarf to reveal this smile of relief and determination to her foe, causing the warrior to feel... **intimated** in all honesty.

"What are you smiling about woman?!" Ignitus barked.

The kunoichi just gave a small laugh. "I'm laughing at the realization... That I no longer have to be the one to defeat you."

Ignitus raised a brow, but slowly caught on. Immediately, he turned around to find Mega Man Neo standing on his two feet. His eyes glowed blue for a brief moment before the glow disappeared. Ignitus growled.

" **WHAT!?** How are you standing!?" Ignitus exclaimed. "You looked like you were about to die just a few moments ago!"

Shade took a couple of steps back and folded her arms, getting ready to observe the upcoming fight. A smile was plastered on her face as if she had determined the outcome without having to see the fight.

Mega Man Neo glared at Ignitus before flexing his fingers, the sound of his knuckles cracking being clearly audible. "Listen here... I lost against Bass Kai because I was careless... I fought him blindly... I know that now... I was about to make the same mistake with you...!"

Neo then grinned his normal childish grin. "I'm keeping my promise in beating you!" He then began waving his finger at Ignitus. "Because as long as Mega Man and I are together, our enemies can **never** win!"

Ignitus just smirked. "Hmph, you think that you can _still_ beat me? Fine, bring it on!"

Neo dashed towards Ignitus and threw a kick. Ignitus ducked and went for a right hook, but Neo caught it and kicked his gut. Ignitus stumbled a bit before catching on to what happened.

"H-He's... Faster...?" Ignitus whispered in awe.

Neo ran and shot multiple energy shots at Ignitus, causing the warrior to pace around him, shooting his heated plasma spheres from his flamethrower. Neo eventually stopped and dashed towards Ignitus, dodging his fire balls and eventually throwing a hard punch at Ignitus' face with his Mega-Knuckles equipped. Ignitus stumbled but he was receiving more punches from Neo. A punch to the face, a punch to the gut, they weren't quick punches but they did hurt! LEFT HOOK! RIGHT HOOK! LEFT HOOK! RIGHT HOOK! LEFT! RIGHT!

Neo then winded his right fist back to charge it up. Once he felt it was ready, he threw his punch, sending Ignitus flying towards a wall. The warrior growled as a fiery aura was being formed around his body. Neo had reached to his position and grabbed onto his arm with his normal hands.

Suddenly, Mega Man felt a... wave of data enter the Combi-Carrier.

"Huh...?" Mega said as he saw the cyberspace change from blue to red. Neo noticed it too. He looked at the background behind Mega and noticed it had changed from blue to red. Soon, he noticed that Mega's armor changed red and black!

"Wh-What...?" Neo said in awe. But before he could ask any questions, he had remembered that he had Ignitus in front of him and he was holding his arm.

Wasting no time, Neo pulled Ignitus from out of the wall and threw him far away to the other side and above the hole in the center (the leads to the 1st floor and to the large door). He flew, hitting a rocky mountain. The warrior fell onto the ground, clenching the ground in fury.

"Gaah...!" Ignitus growled. "That strength... This is what father warned me about... I didn't believe him though, and here I am now! I won't let this punk beat me...!"

Neo looked at the Combi-Carrier screen, the cybernetic background now red-orange and Mega's armor color had changed. "M-Mega... What happened...?"

"I... I think... We just **_copied_ ** Ignitus' special weapons...!" Mega said in awe.

"W-Wait... Huh?" Neo said confused.

"When you touched Ignitus' arm, you copied his special Fire Chip." Mega explained. "By copying that elemental chip, we also downloaded two of his special weapons... **_Hell Blazer_** & **_Inferno Bombs_**."

"Hell Blazer...? Inferno Bombs...? I guess that explains a lot about the change in colors with the cyberspace and your armor... But... I like blue better..." Neo whined.

"R-Relax Rokku!" Mega chuckled. He was happy to see that Rokku was much more determined now. He didn't sound like he was going to give up easily anymore. "I can change back easy! But let me explain this situation here: What we have is the _**Variable Weapon System**_. It's how we copy special weapons from those with chips like Ignitus'. I use to actually do this in the past with the Robot Masters I defeated. But... I usually get one weapon, sometimes two. But we got two weapons from copying Ignitus' Fire Chip. And... You're armor hasn't changed color."

"Huh... Weird. But that's a good thing because I prefer blue anyway~!" Neo said proudly.

Neo then turned his attention to Ignitus who was jumping back to his current position. His fiery aura grew larger and his eyes glowed demonically.

"Alright, time to use you as my test dummy!" Neo said. Suddenly, Neo jumped into the air and three metal spheres of red-orange and black materialized in his hand.

"Here! **INFERNO BOMBS!** " Neo cried as he threw the three bombs at Ignitus. The warrior managed to dodge one, but the explosion on the ground caught Ignitus and soon the next two hit him. He screamed in pain as he was flung back.

Mega Man Neo had acquired the **Fire Chip**! This will change Neo's regular shots to fire-type shots! His Charge Shot will now become a giant fire sphere made of heated plasma! He can also use his incinerate certain things, just not anything too strong or too big! For example, he can use his hand(s) to incinerate a DVD disc! If the mass is too large, he will not be able to incinerate it! However, that all changes with a heated plasma blast~!

With the Fire Chip comes **Hell Blazer** , a weapon not unlike a flamethrower! It's heat is much greater than a typical flamethrower and can cause critical damage!

He also has **Inferno Bombs** ; metal spheres containing super hot lava concentrated into grenades! They materialize to the size of marbles but then grow to the size of typical grenades to be thrown! Beware of its' power!

Ignitus' eyes widened as he realized what had just happened. "You... Copied my weapons...!? Tch, you really _ARE_ Mega Man..."

Neo grinned. "You betcha! Now, you wanna fight still? I'll make sure I pound you flat in the ground this time!"

Ignitus began to growl again. This kid was irritating him to no end. Then again, _he_ was the one antagonizing Neo in the beginning and now the reverse was happening.

"So," Ignitus turned to Shade, hearing her speak to him with that smile of hers. "How does it feel to meet your match... Or your _superior_? It doesn't feel good at all, does it?"

Ignitus has had it. His aura was beginning to grow much more. He was about to explode...!

"Oh _Ignituuuuussss_ ~~~!"

Ignitus dimmed down (literally) upon hearing the sound of his little sister's voice. He turned and looked down at her. From the 1st floor, Neiva could see bruises on his armor.

"I got the Model W like you asked me too! Father wants us to return, so let's go!" Neiva called out.

Ignitus clenched his fists and turned back to Neo and Shade, the latter walking right beside him.

"Grrrrr... I'll save my victory for later...!" Ignitus promised. "So don't you **DARE** die before I get the chance to kill you!"

With that, Ignitus jumped to the 5th floor and his sister jumped to where he previously was. Neiva smiled politely at Neo.

"I hope to see you again Neo~!" Neiva said. She then jumped to the 5th floor and the siblings escaped soon after.

Neo then turned to Shade with his hands behind his head. "Aren't we going to go after them...?"

Shade shook her head. "No, it's pointless. They'll probably have a swarm of Mavericks behind them to slow us down anyway."

The kunoichi then turned around and noticed that all the Galleons had just...Disappeared. She sighed, knowing that they had escaped with not only the ancient fragment known as the Model W, but also with tons of E-Crystals for some unknown reason.

Shade started walking, headed for the large "exit" nearby. Neo then began to follow her, switching back to his normal mode, meaning that the Combi-Carrier's cyberspace and Mega had returned back to blue.

"Let's go." Shade said once Neo caught up to her.

The two soon left out of this area and went to leave the Energy Crystal Mines...

* * *

Ignitus stumbled as he walked in the caverns alongside his sister. He grumbled angrily, holding onto his sides as his sister taunted him.

"Seeee~? I told you that Mega Man Neo wouldn't lose a fight easily! All he needed was more time to get experienced with his new power!" Neiva teased.

"Grrrrrrr... Shut up!" Ignitus barked. "And I ask again... Why do you care so much about our enemy!? You _know_ you two are going to fight one of these days...!"

Neiva flinched a bit. She had barely put much thought into it, but at some point, they _will_ have to fight because they are on opposing sides. Regardless, Neiva told her brother this,

"Even **IF** Mega Man Neo is my enemy, that won't change my feelings towards him~! I bet he cares about me too~!" Neiva said with blush on her face.

Ignitus facepalmed at his sister. "You're dense..."

"And you're a jerk." Neiva replied with a snarky smile.

"Whatever. Let's just get back home so I can get these cracks on my armor fixed...!" Ignitus grunted.

* * *

20 minutes after having to fight their way out of the caverns, Mega Man Neo and Shade had exited the caverns and out into open, fresh air. Before them lied a wonderful meadow filled with flowers.

It reminded Rokku of the meadows he usually liked to hang around near his home town, Luna City, as well as the meadows where he met Mega Man... And where his journey began...

Neo had de-megamerged, returning back to Rokku and Mega Man. They walked beside Shade in the meadows, their destination unknown. Without the Raider airship, they now had to walk on foot.

"Why did you give up back there Rokku?" Shade asked.

Rokku looked at Shade in confusion. "Wha...What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean." Shade said in a harsher tone, making the boy flinch. "After a few good hits from Ignitus you were ready to just lie down and give up. **Why?** "

Rokku looked away. Mega Man was also looking at Rokku, wondering the same thing.

"I...I just... I thought..."

Shade stopped and turned to Rokku completely, a stern expression on her face. "Listen to me Rokku. You decided to join with Mega Man so that you could protect the world, did you not?"

Rokku nods.

"You know you have to fight, and you know it's going to hurt." Shade continued. "It's not going to be all fun and games. Pain and suffering is going to be involved whether you like it or not."

Rokku nods again. "I-I... I know... I understand..."

Shade turns back around. "The next time you think about giving up... I _won't_ save you... You'll be on your own."

Shade then begins to walk ahead, leaving Rokku and Mega behind. The teenage boy looked away in shame. He was going to give up... Because he was afraid. He had thought about Bass Kai again and how he had beat him. It frightened him.

But not anymore. Now he wasn't afraid. He wasn't going to give up. The world needed heroes and Mega Man Neo was one of those heroes.

"Shade...!" Rokku cried.

The kunoichi stopped and turned to face him. Rokku clenched his fists and looked directly in her eyes. Shade noticed the determination in them.

"You won't have to save me..." Rokku began. "...Because I won't give up...! Even when it looks like it'll be the end of the world, I won't give up until I know for certain that there's absolutely nothing I can do!"

Rokku then pointed at Shade dramatically. " ** _THAT_ ** is my promise to you Shade!"

Shade looked at Rokku blankly for a moment. Then, she started to laugh a little. She then walked towards him and places a hand on his shoulder. "I'll hold you to that."

The kunoichi walks forward, turning her head back as she walks to glance at Rokku. "Come along you two. Let's find a local city before it gets dark."

Rokku and Mega Man looked at each other and smiled.

"I'm proud of you Rokku." Mega said. "Can you... Tell me what you said earlier when you got back up from Ignitus' beating?"

Rokku grinned and began walking ahead to catch up with Shade, Mega following right beside him. With a small chuckle, Rokku recited what he said,

" _As long as your with me, our enemies can **never** win...!_ "


	14. Chapter 13: Relaxing in Cassio Town

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 13 - Relaxing in Cassio Town

* * *

Five days...

Rokku, Mega Man and Shade had traveled together for five days. It seemed like they were traveling mindlessly without a set location. However, Mega Man has attempted using the Comm. Link to contact Jessie or General Payne, but the frequency was screwy; Possibly due to the aftermath of their fight with the Hittite Hottide DX (and even Bass Kai). For the moment, all they could do was travel until they have leads on the next Model W or anything else regarding Maverick Activity.

But of course, given the state of the world, traveling wasn't _completely_ peaceful. As everyone knew, the world was still in the process of restoring other continents such as Australia and Antarctica. The only continents "restored" are North  & South America (commonly known as just America), Europe and Asia. Mavericks are blocking the humans path to restoring other lands and those lands are becoming more territorial to the Mavericks unfortunately. It takes a lot of effort for the humans to regain their rightful continents/land.

Due to being out in the open, Mega Man Neo and Shade had to fight wild Mavericks that got in their way. After all, they _were_ traveling through the Outlands to get to the Innerpeace areas. However, there were two times where they were forced to sleep outside because they were unable to reach an Innerpeace area in time. It was a very risky move, but they made sure to watch each other's backs until they were ready to get moving again. Their times in Innerpeace areas were their chance to get tons of rest and ease up.

* * *

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven - Part 5: Naples Station~

Presently, the trio needed to seek shelter as it was getting dark out. Fortunately for them, they come across _Cassio Town_ , another Innerpeace area.

 _Cassio Town_ , named after the constellation _Cassiopeia, the Queen_ , is one of the oldest locations in Europe, right beside Tera City. It is the smallest of the old locations but it still holds importance. The group has traversed to a few Innerpeace areas; but unlike previous ones, this particular one was bigger, meaning there had to be a lot of important locations in there. Still, it was a town rather than a city so it wasn't that big. It was big enough to possibly hold primary locations for our group.

Rokku placed his fists on his hips with a satisfied smile. " _Whew!_ Finally, we've reached a major city! Instead of staying in random homes (though the people were really nice about our temporary stay!), we can actually stay at a hotel~!"

The group head to the entryway to the city; Rokku using his ID card (and using one out of two guest slots for Mega) and Shade using her own to gain access into Cassio Town. Once they got inside, they noticed it was kind of busy, much like Rokku's hometown, Luna City and Neo Giga City. However, it also had the quietness of Tera City.

"Well, now that we have gained access to this area, we should look for a hotel and rest." Shade suggested.

Rokku turned to Shade and nodded. "Yeah, I guess. But first, we should eat!"

"That would be nice!" Mega said, holding onto Cassio Town's map and examining it. "There's a buffet nearby and it'd be cool to eat some high quality food instead of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, carrots, and such."

Mega suddenly panicked as he stared at his male companion with unease. "N-No offense Rokku! I know you can't bring Five Star Meals like that!"

Rokku just waved to his buddy, chuckling. "Hehe, it's cool! I'm not upset! Maybe while we're here, I _can_ go buy tons of bento boxes for travel~! _Oooohhhh_... I can imagine the wonderful taste of those bento boxes... Having those for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day~~~"

Shade noticed Rokku comically drooling at the thought of bento boxes. She truly liked this side of Rokku. It showed his innocence and lovable personality. It was quite difficult to forget that Rokku was a young teenager. She soon spoke up, "You two can eat if you wish, but I would prefer to rest up."

"Huh? You don't wanna eat?" Rokku asked curiously.

Shade shook her head. "No. Like I said, I'd like to rest up."

"C'mon Shade. You gotta eat too." Rokku told her. "We haven't ate much in the five days we've been traveling mindlessly. I don't know if you ate before we met you but even if you had a large turkey or whatever, you have to eat tonight."

"Rokku's right Shade." Mega joined. "It might be awhile before we get to eat high-quality food. Now's the time to eat and give us the energy we need to push forward!"

"I'm okay, really." Shade assured them.

" _Pleaaaaaaase_ ~?" Rokku pleaded.

Shade just folded her arms across her chest and glared at Rokku. She was "upset" that Rokku would resort to such childish methods to get her to-Wait, he practically _IS_ a child...

Still, Shade shook her head, declining his offer. "There's no need Rokku. I'll be fine, I promise."

However, she was surprised when Mega stood next to him and pleaded with him. It made her eyes widen a little and sweat sliding down the side of her head.

" _Pleeeaaaaaaaaaaseeeee_ ~~~?"

" _To think the ancient hero of the 21st Century would do such a thing as well..._ " Shade thought. " _I suppose it can't be helped... These two are persistent..._ "

Shade dropped her arms and sighed heavily. How could she say no? They were going to be worried sick about her if she didn't at least get _one_ meal.

" _Besides, they are right... I hadn't eaten in days, even before I met them... I have trained to not rely on food for a long time, but if Rokku hadn't shared his packed food in the past, I wouldn't be in fighting condition later... If I don't eat now, I'll surely regret it..._ "

"Okay... I yield..." Shade submits. "Let's go to the buffet..."

"Yes!" Rokku fist-pumped.

"But how are we supposed to pay for any of this?" Shade asked. "I doubt we can pay for such meals..."

Rokku held out his index finger, winking to her. "Oh, don't worry about that. I got it _all_ covered!"

In truth, he did. After all, Rokku had a Zenny Card and...Who knows how much is on it...

* * *

The trio had entered the buffet known as _Starlight Cafe_. Rokku had miraculously gained access into the buffet using his Zenny Card and I.D., allowing them to eat as much as they want. Afterwards, they went to go get a booth nearby the windows and ordered their drinks from the waitress. With that out of the way, everyone went to go grab their own food. The trio grabbed their favorite meals and returned to the booth to eat and have conversation. For Shade this felt...odd. To have normal conversations rather than talk about Model Ws and the _Knight of Despair_ , etcetera etcetera.

For the moment, Shade sat alone at the table, staring blankly at her plate. On it was fried rice with shrimp and small chunks of chicken blended inside and a bowl of over 20 dumplings. Beside her meal was a glass of green tea. Soon, Rokku and Mega returned to the table, but when they did, they found that Shade's plate and bowl was...completely empty.

"Hehe, I didn't know you _really_ liked rice and dumplings." Rokku chuckled as he sat down at the table with Mega right beside him. Both were in front of Shade, sitting on the opposite side of each other.

Shade blushed in embarrassment. She just got this new plate of food and she devoured it in mere seconds.

"Don't make fun of me..." Shade muttered, tempted to put her scarf over her face to hide her embarrassment. It was unusually nice for Rokku and Mega to see this side of her. Usually they see her as a super serious kunoichi who's primarily focused on saving the world, but here, she has a obsession over food! It was cute!

Shade, attempting to ignore what has just happened a few moments ago, looks at Rokku and Mega eat their food. She saw Rokku pick up some type of food with... _gooey substance_ being pulled via Rokku's teeth. She saw red circles on top of this particular food with hot yellow stuff that she thinks is _gooey_. She didn't know what this was, but she could see Rokku visibly enjoying it.

"Rokku, what is that you're eating?" Shade asked.

The teen, still trying to eat the yellow _gooey substance_ , looked at Shade confusingly. "Hm?"

"That," She says, pointing at the slice in his hand. "What is it?"

Rokku immediately sucks up the rest of the _goo_ and gasps in shock. "Ah! Shade! You don't know what this delicious substance is!?"

Shade looked at Rokku as he held up another slice in his hand. Seeing how shocked and surprised he was over this substance made her uneasy. Regardless, she shook her head, confirming that she indeed did not know. She has never seen anything like it in Mizuchi and she had rarely went into any cities when she was on her own for awhile.

"Oh my gosh...!" Rokku gasped again. "Were you living under a rock or something!?"

"Shade, you don't know what **_p_** _ **izza** _ is?" Mega asked, eating his slice.

"Pizza... Is that the name of the food?" Shade asked.

Rokku and Mega looked at each other before looking back at Shade. This kunoichi... Had no idea what pizza was...! Blasphemy! What a crime!

"Wow... You've really missed out...!" Mega exclaimed, resuming his slice. "I'm glad Rokku introduced me to it as soon as he could! This stuff's great!"

"Shade, have you ever tried...pizza?" Rokku asked. At this point, the answer was surely obvious.

Shade shook her head. "Sorry, I haven't. I mostly ate dumplings, rice, eggrolls, sushi, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, and much more, but not pizza..."

Rokku then smiled brightly. "Then, you have to try one!"

Shade shook her head. "No, that's okay."

It was Rokku's turn to shake his head. "Nope, you gotta try one!"

Shade's expression changed from stoic to a bit agitated. "I said it's okay."

Rokku's smile just brightened. "And I said you gotta try one~"

Shade's eyebrows narrowed further. "I said it's. **O.K.** "

Rokku's eyebrows just raised, his face expressing pure joy (and a hint of teasing). "I said you. gotta. try. one."

The two just stared at each other, one with a irritated expression and one with a genuine happy face; All while a reploid was eating peacefully and unaware of this staring showdown. This occurred for a good minute until the happy one broke the silence.

"Shade, just try at least one. After that, I won't bother you anymore." Rokku said, dropping his happy face.

The kunoichi sighed in defeat. "O-Okay... I will try _one_."

Rokku's smile returned. "Great! You can choose pepperoni or just plain cheese!"

Shade looked at her selection. She didn't quite know what pepperoni is, but considering one of Rokku's choices was _plain_ cheese, she would assume the slice with nothing special on top was the plain cheese one and the other with red circles was the one with pepperoni. Uncertain if she wanted to eat the pepperonis, she decided to go for plain first.

"I'll choose.. Cheese..." Shade said, slowly scooping a slice from Rokku's plate. She watched at the slice's _gooey parts_ were still sticking on the plate a bit, evidenced by the long strings of cheese. Eventually after pulling enough, the string of cheese was unstuck from the plate but dangling beside Shade's hand.

The kunoichi held the slice of cheese pizza before her face. She was quite nervous to try it. But looking at Rokku's excited look of anticipation, she felt a bit eased. Besides, the smell of this slice of pizza... It _did_ smell quite... _delicious_.

With her decision made, she opened her mouth and placed the tip of the slice into her mouth, closing her teeth on it. Her taste buds signaled the kunoichi of how ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS this tasted. Shade blushed and her eyes widened. She then proceeded to eat the entire slice, swallowing it whole. Rokku just grinned in glee while Mega simply smiled.

"I-It's...delicious...!" Shade exclaimed, blushing pink. "I-I never tasted anything like this...!"

"Ahhh yes~... This wonderful dish that has existed since the _neolilion_ age is the ultimate food; the best in the universe~!" Rokku spoke in a "connoisseur" voice, rubbing his index finger and thumb together. "The deliciousness that is flatbread topped with cheese and other ingredients make it a absolutely mouth-watering meal~!"

Mega Man and Shade just sweatdropped at Rokku's "analysis" and "opinion" of pizza.

"Rokku, when you said _neolilion age_ I think you meant _**neolithic** age_..." Mega corrected with a nervous smile.

"Nonetheless, this pizza tastes incredible...!" Shade commented, grabbing another slice.

The trio continue eating more food. Shade gets more pizza with Rokku and Mega Man, but in exchange for trying the pizza, Shade asks that Rokku and Mega tries her dumplings. As they ate, they had conversations.

"So," Mega began, grabbing a dumpling. "Shade, where do you come from?"

Shade held the slice of pizza in front of her mouth. Upon hearing that question, she had refrained from eating for a moment. She then glanced at Rokku and Mega, returning back to her normal "stoic" expression and...tone.

"Yeah, that's a good question~!" Rokku said happily, stuffing a slice of pizza into his mouth. "We've been hanging out for almost a week and we don't know the best kunoichi in the world's origin story~!"

Shade blushed bashfully, but her face remained the same... Well, save for her mouth opening a bit in surprise of being praised as the "best kunoichi in the world". She personally didn't think she was the best, but it was nice to be thought as such from her friend.

"Where do I come from?"

The boys nodded quickly to answer her question. She was quite hesitant in telling her past to them. But they, or more specifically Rokku, was right; It had been at least a week since teaming up and befriending them. They deserved to know where she came from. In response, she, although reluctantly, told them her story.

"I... Come from a metropolis known as _Mizuchi_." Shade began. A serious look grew on her face as she continued. "It's located somewhere in Japan. The place is awful and the leader of that place is just as bad. It only makes since after all; That leader being the one who caused Mizuchi's degrading reputation. Before he came along, Mizuchi was lively, fair and a wonderful place to be in. I unfortunately grew up in a state of corruption and mostly poverty. I left to escape the terrible atmosphere, but that was after I got my armor..."

Shade waves her wrist to show the guard armor on it. She didn't have much armor on her, just arm and legs guards.

"It may look like I have no real armor, but I truthfully do... In a way." Shade sighed and looked away sadly. "I... I do not wish to continue any further... For now at least..."

Rokku nodded. "I-It's okay. We understand."

Shade glanced at the boy and sighed. She resumed eating her slice of pizza, but even after they had dropped the conversation, the thoughts of her past still roamed through her head...

"Hey Shade," Mega said, catching Shade's attention. "Take it easy. We won't be fighting for a while."

"Besides," Rokku jumped in with a grin and pointing at himself with his thumb. "You got us~! We'll beat that evil jerk together~!"

Shade smiled. "Thanks." Then she frowned. "But keep _those_ type of conversations privately, okay?"

Rokku and Mega looked at each other and sweatdropped. In unison, they said, "R-Right!"

The trio resumed eating their meal. Shade felt...welcomed with the boys; Even if one of them was technically older than them all being centuries old and all. Still, she enjoyed this time of rest and relaxation.

However, a part of her wanted to find the _Knight of Despair_ and put an end to this conflict as soon as possible.

* * *

 _Four Days Earlier..._

Immediately after recovering from his battle with Mega Man Neo, Ignitus stormed out of the recovery room with his fists clenched. He's been waiting to have a word with his "father" ever since he's returned back to home base. The automatic doors slid open and the fierce fire warrior entered to see the doctor tending to his work at the large mother computer.

"Yo! Pops!" Ignitus yelled with a annoyed look.

The doctor who oddly looked like a teenager around Ignitus' age turned the swivel chair around to face him. He had a very smug smirk and he was resting his cheek on his fist. Ignitus hated that smirk. It was much too smug for his liking.

"What's the deal?!" Ignitus cried angrily. "Neo was stronger _and_ smarter than you said he was!"

The doctor, aka Wraith, looked at the ceiling with an intentional, and possibly legit, innocent expression.

"Hmm? Did I tell you that?" He asked, placing his finger below his lips. "I recall saying _'He has tons of development potential. Be cautious.'_ Those were my words Ignitus. _You_ were the one who decided to judge Neo's abilities based on his battle against Nero and Bass."

Ignitus' eyebrow twitched. Unfortunately, Wraith was right. That was something else Ignitus hated; Being corrected over something as small as this. "Yeah, yeah, whatever..."

Wraith rested his cheek on his fist again and spoke once more, "Given the thrashing you received, I take it that Neo was able to beat you~?"

Ignitus growled. "What do you think?!"

"I think he kicked your-"

"Blahblahblah, shut up!" Ignitus silenced his "father". "Anyway, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about! His _Weapon Copy Thing_! Tell me about that!"

Wraith's face expressed legit surprise. "Huh? His "Weapon Copy Thing"? You must mean his _Variable Weapon System_... What about it?"

"That dirty son of a gun copied my abilities! My Special Weapons!" Ignitus growled. "My _Hell Blazer_ and _Inferno Bombs_!"

Wraith got up off his feet immediately and walked towards his "son". The 176cm teenage doctor stood before the 170cm warrior. "He copied your weapons?"

Ignitus folded his arms. "Yes! Didn't you hear me the first time!?"

Wraith waved off the boy. "Of course... I just find that hard to believe..."

The doctor walked away and pondered deeply. " _Mega Man still has his Variable Weapon System...? But I thought I had removed that from his body...? Nonono... I remember, I was_ planning _on removing it and giving him a new one... That primitive Variable Weapon System shouldn't have been able to copy special weapons from Ignitus; Let alone TWO Special Weapons...! Is that_ **shard** _the cause of it...? It doesn't sound too far fetched... After all, that shard has the same evolution technique as any other Biometal... Specifically the same as a **Model W**... Could that shard be transforming the Variable Weapon System within Mega Man to allow him to copy Special Weapons from much more sophisticated and complicated technology that is from the 26th Century, 25XX...?_ "

"HEY!"

Wraith snapped out of his trance upon hearing the sound of Ignitus' voice. He had been pacing around the room thinking.

"I hate when you just walk around like that...!" Igntius growled, also hating being ignored. This guy hated a lot of things...

"My apologies Igntius..." Wraith apologized. He then walked over and folded his arms. "Refrain from going after Mega Man Neo for a few days."

Wraith began to head back to his computer, leaving Ignitus a bit confused. "Why?"

The doctor sat down on his chair with a serious look. "Because you will confront him at a more important time... That I assure you. You will use this time to rest and relax and prepare for the big event that I talked about...!"

Ignitus, though reluctantly, nodded and followed his master's instructions. "Alright."

With that, Ignitus left the room. Wraith covered his mouth with his connected hands, pondering deeply about how quickly Mega Man and his host, Rokku, were evolving. He feared that they were reach the fullest of their evolution: **Full-Synchronization**. This was something he learned about from the Combi-Carrier he had obtained. Truth be told, Wraith was lucky that he had the proper tech and skills to get information from the Combi-Carrier. It's not as easy to hack as it seemingly was. In fact, Wraith doesn't have ALL the information from the Combi-Carrier, but he has enough to make a replica. Although it may be slightly inferior than the real deal, it will be useful to Bass Kai due to his strong mind.

"It looks like things aren't going exactly as planned..."

Wraith's eyes slowly turned to the right. He had an annoyed look as he could see someone in the shadows with purple glowing eyes. The mysterious figured stepped out of the shadows and grinned menacingly at the doctor.

He was wearing yellow, black, brown and bronze armor. He had sharp purple eyes and light skin. He also had large disengaged wings on his "pack" that would look large should they be engaged. He also had gloves that strangely had sharp fingers that seem to resemble knight fingertips. His bodysuit was black with white highlights. He looked like he was 171cm, a centimeter taller than Ignitus but still 5'4".

" _Taranis..._ " Wraith muttered in a rather cold tone.

"That Neo guy is evolving more than you initially thought." Taranis said with a smug grin. "With that Combi-Carrier in his possession, he and Mega Man will eventually reach that Full-Synchro stage of his evolution. How about we go after them and destroy them while we have the chance."

Wraith clicked his tongue. "It may sound like I'm screwing myself over, but we have to study Mega Man Neo more before we defeat him."

"It _does_ sound like you're screwing yourself over." Taranis snarled. "Here's what I think is going to happen: You're going to let him do what he does, he's going to reach that full-synchro stage, he's going to find and defeat us and you, then your plan's going downhill. We need to destroy him **now** while he's weak."

"Maybe I'll fail, maybe I won't." Wraith snickered. "Hehehe... In the end, I'll be the true victor. You are to defeat the boy and Mega Man. Refrain from killing them."

Taranis shrugged and turned around. "Whatever you say Lord Wraith. If you need me, I'll be talking with my sister so she can be prepared for the assault in a few days. If Neo shows his face, and he'll more likely show his face, then I'll fight Neo."

The aero fighter turned his head with a devilish grin and his purple eyes glowing for a moment. "...But if I have to hack up a few limbs from his body to defeat him then so be it...!"

After "warning" his master/father, Taranis had departed and a hush falls over the laboratory...

* * *

 _Present Day..._

As he entered the hotel room along with his two friends, Rokku began to think about what he has been doing for awhile now. On June 23, his 13th Birthday, Rokku wanted to begin his adventure and he got his wish. He left home to start his adventures the next day on June 24. Rokku would have never thought that in two days, he would meet Mega Man, an ancient hero from the year 20XX. It was quite amazing. Then he's spent his time at the Sanctuary from June 27 to July 22. He didn't realize that he's spent so much time at the Sanctuary but all of the training he's been doing must've made him forget the concept of time. But even so, along with Mega Man, he's fought a brainwashed Magne, he met his uncle who's in charge of the continent's military force, he met his "rival" Bass Kai, met his new friend Shade, fought Ignitus and traveled for awhile until they've reached Cassio Town.

Currently, it was July 29. It's been a whole month since he started his own adventure; and it's quite a _bizarre_ adventure so far.

Rokku was in his pajamas that he packed... Which was merely his "workout" clothes he wore back in Tera City when he and Mega decided to jog. He lacked his wristbands and his headband, but it was still overall the same outfit. Mega Man was also wearing his "workout" clothes again.

Shade had left the bathroom coincidentally wearing similar clothes as Rokku. She had a black tanktop and shorts and white socks.

Unfortunately, there was only one bed available in this room. Rokku had suggested getting rooms for each of them since he apparently had the money to do so, but Shade disagreed. She feels that Rokku shouldn't be spending too much money... Though she doesn't have any idea how much money he has... But point is, they had a few options: One sleeps on the bed while someone else sleeps on the floor or they all sleep on one bed.

...The group choose the latter.

Though she was not in the middle, Shade admittedly found sleeping right next to the boys embarrassing. She had never slept so close to them before; or anyone else for that matter. While traveling for the past five days, they either slept a few feet close to each other, when outside that is, or possibly be in separate rooms, when they had stayed in someone else's home temporarily.

Her cheeks reddened from feeling Rokku's presence right next to her. She sighed silently and tried her best to get some sleep.

The past few days with Rokku and Mega have been drastically different. She's so used to being alone. However, when she learned about Mega Man Neo, she felt that partnering up with the Blue Bomber would give her an easier chance of beating the enemy; the _Knight of Despair_. But Rokku and Mega's child-like personalities made her feel more... _alive_. She had gained two friends because they choose to trust her. She could have been deceiving them the entire time but they would have no idea until she actually revealed her intentions. Of course, Shade's intentions were to essentially protect the world and to do that, she had to stop her enemy.

The boys' positive energy is what allowed Shade to feel more _relaxed_ and _lively_. She was beginning to enjoy herself and those around her, primarily evident at dinner an hour ago. Thanks to Rokku, she found a new favorite food: _Pizza_. It was awfully delicious and she wanted more.

She cared for Rokku and Mega and do whatever it takes to make sure they were still close to her. She would hate it if something bad happened to her new and only best friends...

She rolled over to her left side. To her surprise, she found Rokku still awake. Even stranger was that she found the boy looking at her curiously.

" _Wa...Was he awake this whole time...?_ " Shade questioned herself.

The two just stared at each other. Shade felt completely awkward at the moment.

* * *

Unable to sleep for the moment, Shade decides that now was a time to find out more about her new partner.

"How did you meet Mega Man?" She asked.

Rokku was admittedly unsure on how he was going to answer that. Of course, the reason was obvious; To him at least.

In about a minute, Rokku came up with something.

"Around 9 PM, I was in the meadows... I-It was nearby Neo Giga City. While relaxing I saw what I thought was a shooting star, and, umm, it wasn't and..." Rokku needed to calm down. It wasn't going to be convincing if Shade notices how he lacks composure. "It wasn't _actually_ a shooting star. It was heading right for me so I ducked and it crashed. I went to check it out and... There he was... His armor was cracked and stuff... I have no idea where he came from or why he was sent flying, but I knew he didn't come from space or anything like that. That seemed weird... Like, more weird than us fighting Mavericks..."

Rokku was telling the truth for the most part. What he decided not to tell her was about he, Mega Man, was initially a Biometal before changing into a more "humanoid" shape.

"Right next to Mega was this wrist-watch thingie; The Combi-Carrier. Again, I have no idea where it came from. It was with Mega when he crashed to the ground. I decided to put on the watch thing and it was a perfect fit. Then out of nowhere Mega turns into digital particles and enters the watch. Then... I transformed into Mega Man Neo... Mega explained that this watch thing was the Combi-Carrier and all that, but he doesn't remember anything about how or why he was flying in the sky..."

Again, Rokku was omitting the fact that Ciel was the true creator of the Combi-Carrier and that her, with Rokku's help, "revived" Mega Man. He was also telling prominent lies, but that was for obvious reasons.

Shade nodded, buying his story. "I see... You weren't lying about the _weird_ part."

The kunoichi then pointed at him. "But with that said, _why_ are you fighting?"

"Huh?" Rokku was a bit confused.

"You heard me. Why are you fighting?" Shade repeated. "You just met Mega Man yet you choose to fight. Why?"

Rokku thought it was clear why he was fighting. But I suppose it would be better if she heard it from his mouth.

"I'm fighting to protect people..." Rokku said, looking away. "I sometimes wished I could do something good for the world and with by Mega's side, I can do that. I don't want the world to crumble because of bad people. I want to protect not only innocent people but my family! I don't want others to suffer!"

Rokku then clenched his fist. "That is why... I fight. Mega and I... Mega Man Neo, is the one who fights for innocent people! For those who can't fight for themselves! To give people a reason to live their lives to the fullest! I won't stop... Even when all hope is lost, I won't give up! I just know that we, together, can reach everlasting peace... I don't believe it's a fantasy... I know it can happen and I want to be one of those who can make it happen!"

He then points at Shade dramatically. "I may not understand a lot of things... But what I do know is that I can feel true evil when I see it!"

Finally, he points at himself with his thumb. "I'll fight even if it was the end of the world! I'll keep fighting for not only my future but for everyone else's! Because this world belongs to us!"

Shade, after absorbing his miniature speech, closed her eyes and smiled a little.

"Well, I now know that I have befriended a genuine hero..." Shade said, finally satisfied. "Thank you for informing me. You won't have me doubting you, Rokku Akihiro."

The young teen smiled cheerfully, blushing with pride.

Unbeknownst to the two, Mega Man had been faked being asleep the whole time. He had heard everything and he was even more proud of his best friend...

* * *

An hour after the sun had officially risen, the trio were fully prepared to head out again.

However, upon reaching the lobby, they, specifically Rokku and Mega, were surprised to see very familiar faces.

" _He's_ here...?" Rokku said in awe.

The man and young girl turned their heads, seeing their familiar companions. Immediately, they approached them.

"Finally, we have found you." The man said with a sigh of relief.

"General Payne?" Mega was also in awe. "Jessie?"

"How did you guys find us?" Rokku asked in panic.

"We've tracked you via Comm. Link!" Jessie explained. "We couldn't properly connect with you because the connection wasn't great, but it allowed us to find your locations!"

"Though, each time we found your location, another location popped up." General Payne added.

Mega had realized that he had accidentally sent Payne and Jessie hopping to different locations... Whenever the trio stopped at a location to rest, Mega would try to contact the General to no avail. Fortunately, they found them this time.

"Luckily, you were close by the tenth time you tried contacting us." Payne said.

The General turned to the kunoichi, curious about her presence. "Ah, who might you be?"

"...Shade." She greeted hesitantly.

The General then looked at Rokku and Mega. "Do you two know her?"

"Yeah! She kinda "saved" us after Bass Kai threw us into the ocean!" Mega explained.

General Payne turned to Shade again. "Is she now? You have my thanks, Shade."

The kunoichi watched as the General bowed in respect and gratitude. She felt... Uneasy around him. But that was primarily because she had no idea who he was.

"Excuse me if I sound rude, but who are you?" Shade asked.

General Payne stood up straight and frowned. "Further explanations will come soon. We will have to take this elsewhere. Follow me."

The General and Jessie began walking with the trio following right behind him.

After walking for about four minutes, they came across the Milos Defense Force airship that was used to get to Cassio Town. It was "parked" right outside the entryway to the innerpeace area. Once the group entered the airship, it rose off the ground and took off through the sky. They got comfortable in their seats as the General sat before Rokku, Shade and Mega Man.

"Now, to answer your question from earlier." The General began. "I am General Maxwell Payne. I am Rokku's uncle."

Shade was a bit surprised internally. "You're his uncle...?"

He nodded in confirmation.

It would have never crossed Shade's mind that this military general was also Rokku's uncle. It was surprising to her in all honesty. She had respected the man even more because of this recent fact, however.

"So unc', where are we headed?" Rokku asked.

"There is a very important place that we absolutely must go to." General Payne said with a serious look.

" _We, are heading to **Luna City**._ "


	15. Chapter 14: Luna City: House of Secrets

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 14 - Luna City: House of Secrets

* * *

In Mizuchi, Japan, within the city's large tower where the leader resides is currently doing the finishing touches on his "daughter". Wraith finishes applying the new additions to Neiva, carefully placing his tools back onto the counter.

"There we are." Wraith announces. "All finished. You may get up now."

The girl opens her eyes and rises from the large medic chair and smiles cheerfully.

"Wow...! Amazing...!" Neiva said, stretching. "I feel stronger already~!"

"That's right, Neiva." Wraith said with a smile. "I have concluded my upgrade with you. Now you are much more fitted for battle like your brothers."

"Hmm, but I don't have any armor on me like Ignitus and Taranis..." Neiva pouted.

"Dear, that's what I've been working on." Wraith chuckled. "Unlike your siblings, you weren't originally born with armor in mind. But now, by studying Biometal further, you are able to access your armor and your melee weapon! Think of it as megamerging without a Biometal, hehe..."

"I _actually_ have armor!?" Neiva said in awe. "Then that's why I feel stronger?!"

"Of course," Wraith answered, giving his "daughter" the encouragement she always loves to hear. "But you can become stronger by bringing out the armor within you!"

"Alright! Then I'll-"

"Nononono!" Wraith interrupted with a panicked look. "Not in here! Go in the training room and spar with your brother, Ignitus!"

"O-Oh! Right, right! Thanks father!" Neiva said before skipping cheerfully out of the lab.

Wraith couldn't help but laugh at his "daughter's" cheerfulness, something his other "children" lacked at times.

Suddenly, Wraith caught another ally of his walking into the room; A boy with white spiky hair with a few strands of it sticking upwards and most of the strands sticking downwards, crimson eyes, soft fair skin, and with a cold, mature and calculated face. He wore a high-collared, long sleeved jacket; it's length not unlike a trench coat. However, the end of his sleeves were torn as well as the bottom of his jacket. Both his jacket and pants were black. In fact, his jacket and pants resembled a modified Japanese uniform.

He wore black fingerless gloves that had a large open square on the back of his hands to reveal his skin color. He also wore modified shoes that were similar but not the exact same as the typical shoes that civilians wore. They had a black and white color scheme to this shoes and they sort of resembled the shoes from the old days yet also resembling the futuristic type. A mixture of the two if you will.

He wore a tank-top that was a lighter shade of black and a big belt of the same color.

With this type of clothing, he truly did look like he was a high school student from Japan. However, he wasn't. This choice of clothing just so happened to be the boy's preference.

"Ah, Nero." Wraith said "excitedly". "You came in just in time, you little devil!"

The boy named Nero walked over to Wraith. Standing right in front of him, it was clear that Nero was just about Wraith's height.

"The other day, you asked me to build a Combi-Carrier. Well here it is." Wraith said, holding the device in his hand.

Nero inspected the device. Unlike Rokku's Combi-Carrier, Nero's had two sharp points instead of two rectangular bulges. Also, Nero's Combi-Carrier's color scheme matched Bass', much like how Rokku's Combi-Carrier's Combi-Carrier matched Mega Man's. Nero grabbed the Combi-Carrier and slipped it through his right wrist.

"...And this device should make Bass and I stronger?" Nero asked the doctor.

"Without a doubt." Wraith grinned wickedly. "If you don't believe me, then you can gladly test it out elsewhere."

"I'll do just that." Nero simply said, turning around without another word.

Wraith just watched the stoic boy head out the door. The doc gave him a nasty look as he yelled, "A simple _thank you_ would've been nice!"

Nero said nothing and left.

"Good grief..." Wraith muttered. "You asked me to make you something and I did. Not even a sign of appreciation. This wasn't exactly as easy as I thought. I'd like a "thanks doc" or something!"

As Wraith pondered about his feelings towards Nero, someone else entered the room. A woman looking much older than Nero and even Taranis; Looking about 16-19. She had long silver hair that had a few strands pointing outwards. She had mature yet youthful ultramarine colored eyes and light smooth skin.

She wore a business-like dress uniform; predominately a gold and white color scheme. A few blue circular glowing jewels were on her dress. She wore the usual black uniform and also wore gold heeled-boots with white tips.

She was a 179cm tall woman, taller than Wraith himself. She had this look of guilt yet pride.

"Wraith," She spoke. "The DNA testing of Nero, as well as the other subject, Rokku, has concluded. Based on what DNA Nero managed to retrieve from the Combi-Carrier..."

The teen doc looked at her seriously. He currently lacked any sense of softness or "kindness" with his expression. No, this one was a scowl.

"What are the results? Spit it out, why don't you?"

The woman sighed, looking away for a moment as she answered him and eventually returned her gaze towards him.

"I managed to get very few DNA from Rokku's Combi-Carrier but it was enough to determine the relation. They're a match..." The woman said with a hint of sadness and relief. "Nero and Rokku... They are... ** _brothers_**..."

Wraith softened his expression and chuckled to himself, allowing his sharp teeth to be shown. "Hehehehehehe... Bass Kai and Mega Man Neo are related... It gets more and more interesting as the days go on... You didn't inform Nero of this revelation have you?"

Eden shook her head confidently. "No... I haven't..."

Wraith turned around to type in what he had just learned within his journal entry. "Hahahahaha...! What I originally believed to be a mistake is now the greatest thing to happen in my centuries long of living on this world!"

The woman stared at him awkwardly, curious as to what he was referring to when he says "mistake".

" _Mistake_?" The woman asked.

"Mega Man, _Eden_." Wraith said simply. "When I was working on him, an accident occurred. An explosion with the same power as a usual Chosen One. It sent Mega Man flying into the skies and down to the ground like a meteor. From Japan to Europe...! For such a tiny explosion, it sent him _pretty_ far! Ahahahaha...!"

The woman named _Eden_ looked at the computer screen. After Wraith had concluded his short journal entry, a few screenshots of Mega Man Neo appeared. A few screenshots were from his battle against the Mavericks in Tera City, his battle against Magne controlled by a "Model W", and the rest of the screenshots were from the Forest of Voreius against the Galleons, the Hittite Hottide DX and finally against Bass Kai. Eden kept staring at one particular screenshot that had him in a normal standing pose, around when he was talking with Bass Kai. She could see the youth in him but also a sense of heroism.

But that wasn't all she could feel from him. She felt a sense of "heritage"... Eden knows fully well who Mega Man is because of Wraith and this Rokku has become the new Mega Man incarnation in a way.

She feared that this boy would potentially meet Wraith and eventually have his showdown with him...

"I knew the two boys looked similar in appearance, and now I know why...! Two brothers, separated at birth!" Wraith chuckled.

Wraith then stood up and walked away from the computer to look above. The computer soon beamed out a blue hologram of Mega Man Neo. Wraith smiled wickedly.

"Dr. Ciel really did a marvelous job on him." Wraith grinned. "He has so much power to be unleashed, and all I need to do is bring it out...!"

Eden's eyes widened for a moment. "E-Excuse me...?"

Wraith's scowl returned and looked at Eden, making her a little jumpy. "Are you dense? I said I need to bring his power out. That Combi-Carrier, according to most of the data I managed to get out of it, is used primarily to stabilize the megamerge, but there's more to it then just that."

The doc looked back at the hologram. "Rokku hasn't fully synchronized with Mega Man, therefore his power hasn't reached it's full potential. Ciel calls this " _Full-Synchronization_ " or " _Full-Synchro_ " for short."

"They have to reach complete synchronization to reach the full extent of their power..." Eden muttered, looking at Neo's eyes with sadness and... _guilt_.

"Once they reach this evolution stage, they'll have the power as a true Chosen One." Wraith explained further. "Hmm, surprisingly, despite not reaching his full power, he _has_ been able to stop Magne and the **_False Model W_**. It goes to show that power isn't everything. Neo doesn't rely on just power against his opponents, but also his brain and reflexes... Unfortunately, this wasn't enough against the Hittate Hottide DX and Bass Kai..."

"No matter what, I _will_ unleash Mega Man Neo's ultimate power...!" Wraith said in determination.

Eden stopped looking at the hologram and at Wraith. "And what do you intend on doing to achieve that?"

Wraith's grin grew. "If all goes as planned, then Mega Man Neo could potentially end up at Deza City along with Zen Takeda and Magne."

Eden turned around, presumably to examine Wraith's technology and computers. In truth, she was hiding her look of sadness. "R-Right... Magne and Zen Takeda intend on meeting personally in Deza City to discuss the recent Maverick raids... The same ones _you_ instigated..."

Wraith noticed Eden's tone and growled. "Of course I instigated those attacks. From Tera City to the Forest of Voreius. What of it, Eden?"

Eden said nothing. She just stood there, her back turned and her fists balled up.

"Need I remind you who you are working for?" Wraith asked.

Eden's face grew a scowl. She was still hiding her face from him, but she could hear his footsteps getting louder and louder with each step he took on the metallic floor.

"You are in a indefinite debt Eden." Wraith said as he began pacing around her. Eden didn't dare to look at him. She was merely looking straight ahead, hearing his words enter her ears. Wraith's scowl grew to a wicked smile. "I healed you and in return, you would work for me in my ultimate plan with the world. I did something for you and you do something for me. Are you aware of this?"

"Fully." Eden said flatly.

"You work for me. You do as I say." Wraith stopped behind Eden with a wicked grin. Their height difference was utterly apparent if it wasn't already. He reached around to squeeze and shake her cheek a bit. "In other words, _I **own** you~_ "

"But I rather refer to you as my ally. After all, we _are_ buddies, aren't we~?"

Once Wraith released her cheek, Eden's scowl came back. As Wraith walked back to his computer, he continued speaking.

"I sent the Mavericks to Tera City to attract Mega Man Neo, and it worked. I didn't expect those Milos Defense Force guys to show up, though... That can be either an advantage or disadvantage for me, but so far, it's been an advantage. By attacking those Milos Force soldiers in the Forest of Voreius, it also attracted Neo and, eventually, Kai found him before Shade could."

Wraith removed the hologram of Mega Man Neo and continued typing on his computer, reaching into his hard drive. "Zen Takeda was already heading to Europe for another meeting with Magne, but since I attacked Tera City and the forest, they will undoubtedly rendezvous in Deza City to have their meeting. Even those Milos Force guys will potentially end up there too as "protection". From what I've seen, Neo has been cooperating with the Milos Force, so he should also end up in Deza City too...! It's been more than a week since I last saw or heard of Neo ever since he was thrown into the ocean and his location has been lost. I can only assume the Milos Force found him..."

Eden watched as her "ally" continued to ponder out loud. From her many years of being with him, she knew that the doctor tended to go on many tangents and think in a surprisingly unorganized manner.

"Bah, gathering such weak Mavericks from the wild won't give Neo much challenge. I only wish _my own set of mechaniloid foot soldiers_ would be completed soon... How are my _Geryons_ doing so far, Eden?"

Eden jumped again, having been lost in her own thoughts. "Your G-Geryons...? I estimate that the first hundred will be completed in within 2 weeks at best... After the first hundred is complete, the next waves will be constructed at a faster rate..."

"How fast?"

"Presumably, they can be completed within a week." Eden said.

"Hmph, believe it or not, a week is a long time, but two weeks is even longer." Wraith said with a annoyed look. He was more annoyed with himself since he was the one responsible for creating his own foot soldiers. "It looks like I'll have to spend more time on my Geryons... Agh, but my children have to prepared for the assault on Deza City tomorrow. Such a tight schedule I'm on... Here I'm giving Neo all this praise and he's responsible for my tight schedule... Hehehe, oh what sweet irony."

Wraith pondered for a second. After thinking it over, the doctor turned his computer screens off and walked towards the door. "The Geryons are a bigger priority right now. Should Neo manage to get past the challenges in Deza City tomorrow, and I have a strong feeling he will, then my Geryons shall give him an even bigger challenge."

"My Geryons will be stronger, faster and much more durable than the Galleons. I'm sick of using these gathering these darn Galleons from the wild. Reprogramming them to do my bidding is such a tedious task, wouldn't you know?" Wraith snarled. He then gave a smug grin as he walked. "But no matter the outcome, I'll be the victor."

Eden watched as Wraith stepped in front of the automatic doors, hearing the mechanism activate in order to slide it open. He slightly turned his head to glance back at Eden.

"Since I'm handling the Geryons, I want you to supervise my children...and Nero too." Wraith ordered.

Eden was still in the same position. She didn't face him at all, but she gave him an answer. "Yes, Wraith..."

Wraith grinned. "I saved your life so many years ago. I don't want to have to resort to hurt you. You _are_ my friend, Eden. However, you will not forget your place. Remember that."

With that, Wraith officially left the room and into the hallway. Eden soon left the room and also into the hall, making her way to the training room to supervise the Celestial Masters and eventually Bass Kai and his new Combi-Carrier. Eden's scowl was still plastered on her face and her fists were still balled up.

 _"Wraith... The second you meet your end, I will be free of this imprisonment...!"_ Eden thought. Though her scowl was still there, she now had a look of pure determination. _"You were once a good friend of mine Silas... You cured me of my disease and allowed me to continue living... And I cannot help but thank you for that... However, I will one day break out of this accursed debt and resume helping the world...! My days of being a prisoner are decreasing with each passing day..."_

Eden suddenly stopped in her tracks, thinking about Mega Man Neo; More specifically _Rokku_. Her eyes shook for a moment until she blinked. She stared at the ground sadly, feeling guilty once more.

 _"Mega Man Neo... You can be my savior in this time of crisis... You can be the one to free me and this world..."_

Eden, no longer thinking about her own plans, goes to the training room to oversee the sparring match between Neiva and Ignitus.

* * *

While on their way to their destination, Rokku had realized that despite being gone for over a month, he wasn't very far away from home. Staying at Dr. Ciel's Sanctuary for about a month would do that. Still, despite not going very far, he's at least made some great friends; Mega Man and Shade. He's even met the President of Tokyo's daughter, Saya Takeda.

"Say, Unc'. You think we'll see Saya again?" Rokku asked.

"Hm? Saya Takeda?" The General said. "I think you may see her again. Have you taken an interest in her?"

"Well, yeah! She's a pretty important person, you know?" Rokku said happily. "I mean, she's the president's daughter! That's a big deal~!"

" _Ahhh_ , so you like her, huh?" Jessie said smugly.

"Umm, I guess, yeah!" Rokku said, rubbing the back of his head. The poor kid had no idea what Jessie _truly_ meant by that.

"Saya seemed... interested in you as well Rokku," General Payne said to him, holding back the fact that she seemed to have very slight hostility towards him for some reason. "However, her father and I are having negotiations about her current position."

"What do you mean?" Mega asked.

"You see, Saya wasn't meant to be here in Europe. She was to stay in Europe." The General explained. "How she got here is still under investigation, but we'll figure out what to do with her."

Rokku and Mega looked at each other and shrugged happily.

"Saya isn't known for following directions, that much I do know..." General Payne sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose.

Shade sat beside the teenage boy, watching the scenery through the window. She heard the conversation the General, his nephew and navigator were having. She had no idea who this Saya was. Logically, she assumed that Saya was someone Rokku and Mega must've met before she had even found them in the ocean.

The ocean...

To think she would find Mega Man Neo there of all places...

* * *

 _While in Leo Square, Shade had found a airship belonging to the Hunter's Guild. It was parked on the docking port nearby a shop where the Hunters were staying at. She had been traveling for days on foot. She needed faster transportation to find who she was looking for._

"W...Who is this again...?"

Shade remembered standing face to face with the enigmatic Bass Kai days ago. Both were wounded from their battle and they'd be fools to continue their duel at this rate.

"Mega Man." He answered. "He is an android from the 21st Century. He is one of the predecessors to reploids, and is such, bound to the laws of robotics. However, he returns now, in the 26th Century and he's since been upgraded to a reploid."

"..." Shade was speechless.

"I find it surprising that although you are one of

them, _you were unaware of this project; Especially since you are the oldest."_

"T-Tch..."

"Nonetheless, an accident occurred which caused him to be lost. From what I am told, he's working with a human host. They have successfully megamerged if I'm correct. They call him... **Mega Man Neo**." Bass Kai stated.

"What...? The human and Mega Man megamerged...?" Shade said in disbelief. "To become...Mega Man Neo...?"

"That's right. I intend on meeting him myself." Bass Kai said sternly. "Knowing you, you want to meet him as well. However, I need to see him first."

Shade clenched her teeth as she recalled the conversation she had with Bass Kai. She needed to get to Mega Man Neo before Bass Kai. Unfortunately, he had the advantage with both his own speed and his knowledge on the "Chosen One". Kai knew much more than she did about Neo and that fact alone is what irritated the kunoichi.

She wasted no time sneaking into the airship while the Hunters talked among themselves. Strangely, not a single one watched as she climbed the ladder leading into the ship. Though the ravenette made it inside without being detected, she found one particular Hunter sipping coffee and sitting before the control panel. He put the coffee down and sighed while relaxing peacefully.

Without much thought, Shade reached around and covered his mouth with her left hand and used the two fingers of her right hand to press them against his neck. Immediately after doing so, the Hunter screamed in surprise before passing out. Before passing out the Hunter had felt waves of jolts throughout his body; However, it was painless, though surprising.

Shade knew there was a reason as to why this Hunter was in here by himself. He was the one responsible for powering this airship on. As such, he would hold the key for making this ship fly. Shade swiped the key as well as his ID from his belt and proceeded to drag the him out towards a open window. Though it was kinda messed up, she tossed him out of the window to hit the boardwalk.

The other Hunters were too far away to see or hear their fellow comrade be tossed overboard, giving Shade the advantage. With everything in order, Shade placed the key in the control panel and the airship started to power on. The moment the airship rose above ground, the other Hunters took notice and chased after the airship, believing their comrade was leaving without them. This belief was shut down when they saw him passed out on the ground.

Shade had succeeded in acquiring highly useful transportation that would be beneficial in her search. However, Shade was no fool. This was an official airship from the Hunter's Guild. Though it was strange that an airship from America would be here in Europe, she wasn't complaining. She went to deactivate the tracking module so that she wouldn't have the Hunters' allies after her and the ship. With the Hunter's ID, she successfully deactivated the tracking. She was safe to go after him...

...Mega Man Neo...

* * *

The kunoichi was fully aware that Bass Kai beat her to her target. Because of that, Neo was found in the ocean after the battle. At the very least, Shade succeeded in finding him, and now he was her ally. He lost against Bass Kai, hence why he was in the ocean in the first place.

When she gets the chance, she'd like to train with Rokku and Mega to prepare for their next encounter with Bass Kai. She didn't win against him herself, but he didn't win against her either. She needed to finally have a sparring match with Neo. She never did it before and she'd understand his strength first hand.

"Hey! We're back home!" Rokku cried happily.

Shade stopped thinking and reminiscing to hear Rokku speak.

"Huh...?"

The girl proceeded to look out the window. What she saw was quite beautiful.

~Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir - Image Gallery~

Luna City was a very large innerpeace area. As with most cities in the entire world, Luna City was incredibly advanced. However, there was also lots of water and green grass surrounding the central metropolis. This central area was were the majority of the people resided. However, there was a major town situated in its vicinity called _Selene_. This particular town is where Rokku spent the entirety of his childhood, visiting the central city, Luna, whenever he could.

This innerpeace is heavily known for having one of the best security and protection in all of Europe. Record states that Luna City hasn't been hit with a Maverick incursion in over 60 years. This was mostly thanks to the Milos Defense Force's large army.

General Payne has the Milos Defense Force all over Europe and even has international forces outside of Europe. The General has spoken with Zen Takeda, leader of Asia, and has his Milos Defense Force in Asia, protecting their innerpeace areas. It's primarily thanks to Magne, leader of Europe, receiving funding from Legion that the Milos Defense Force even started, and it was later finding lost and ancient artifacts that further funded the army, allowing other soldiers to go international. Magne ensured that every last soldier was trust worthy and soon Maxwell Payne took the helm of the army and continued Magne's work. Every single soldier was trusted in the Milos Defense Force.

"This...is where you were raised, Rokku?" Shade asked her ally.

"Yup~" Rokku answered, eager to get out of the airship.

The second the airship landed in the green grass within _Selene_ , the ramp extended to the ground, followed by ten soldiers stepping out and standing before it; five on one side of the ramp and five on the other. Afterwards, General Payne, Jessie, Rokku, Mega Man and Shade walked down on the ramp.

General Payne, however, had just put on a hat as he was walking down the ramp. It was dark blue and white, like his uniform.

" _It's about time I put this back on..._ " General Payne thought.

"Finally, back home~..." Rokku sighed happily.

"Yes, this must be very...nostalgic for you Rokku." General Payne said. Suddenly, he placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder, which made him look up at his uncle. "And I know you want to see your parents right away. However, I'm going to have to ask that you refrain from going anywhere near your house just for a little bit."

Rokku raised a very curious brow at his uncle. "Ummmm, _why_?"

"Mega, Jessie and I are going to speak with your parents about all that has happened recently. For now, it'd help if you weren't around them, especially your mother." General Payne explained. "My sister can be very protective over you, Rokku."

"So, I can't see my Mom or Dad?" Rokku asked, a bit irritated. Shade noticed his tone and was a bit surprised. If she had loving parents like Rokku's and wasn't able to see them right away, she'd be questionable too. She couldn't help but feel suspicious over General Payne's "plan".

"Please understand. This conversation involves adults." General Payne said sternly. "We can't make any mistakes with this. You are dealing with Mavericks, something that Ica in particular won't take too kindly to. You know how she acts."

Rokku sighed. "I...I guess you're right..."

"While Mega, Jessie and I are talking with your parents, I want you to show Shade around." General Payne said.

The General and Jessie began to walk away. Mega Man started to follow but he took a quick worried glance at Rokku. He too was curious as to why he was heading to Rokku's parents' home _without_ Rokku. However, he had to put his trust in Rokku's uncle, even though this was incredible suspicious.

Shade folded her arms with a look of suspicion. She had just gotten to know the General and already she didn't quite trust him like Rokku and Mega did.

"Rokku, he's asking you not to go back to your own home right now." Shade said, glancing at her ally. "I personally find this very shady..."

Shade's eyes widened when she heard her little friend chuckling a bit. Raising a brow, she asked, "What's so funny? Why are you laughing?"

Rokku continued to chuckle, looking at his friend with glee. "Haha, you said _shady_. Your name is _Shade_. Hehehe!"

Shade slowly realized the unintentional pun she had made. Her eyes widened more once she came to full realization and she began blushing involuntarily. As embarrassed as she was, she (attempted) to keep her composure, closing her eyes with a "embarrassed" expression and bringing back the original subject.

"Y-You know what I mean..." Shade muttered. "The bottom line here is I think you and I should investigate this whole ordeal by going back to your house and finding out what the General is hiding."

Shade suddenly felt her hand being grabbed.

"Nevermind that! I get the opportunity to show you around~!" Rokku said childishly, dragging his friend.

"R-Rokku! W-Waaait...!" Shade cried.

Shade had to admit, despite how childish her friend was, she had to admit that holding hands like this felt...nice. It was a feeling she never felt before in Mizuchi. Then again, she was always inside the same building for so many years and rarely left to the outside until her eventual departure; or more accurately, _escape_.

The kunoichi paid close attention to where she was being taken to. While being introduced to the beautiful waterfall area, Shade saw Rokku being called on by neighbors. They were awfully happy to see Rokku's return to Selene. She found it a bit odd that the second thing after greetings was to ask Rokku to help out on a few small jobs such as heavy lifting or walking their dogs. Shade didn't really help him with any of these jobs. Not that she didn't want to, but Rokku insisted that he handle it. So really, Shade was just there for the ride, spectating him. After completing these jobs, Rokku was rewarded with Zenny and E-Crystals (and a chocolate bar).

While watching Rokku interact with his fellow neighbors, Shade felt warm and fuzzy inside. This was also something she never felt in Mizuchi. She was so used to looking out the windows, seeing most of the citizens unhappy and depressed. Mizuchi was a technologically advanced metropolis, no doubt about it, but many people didn't seem to like being in this innerpeace area. Shade had rarely left her home. She felt like a princess locked in a tower for a very long time until she escaped that very tower to be free.

But seeing Rokku and his neighbors so happy...made her feel happy. It was a feeling extremely rare to her but she liked the feeling.

After hanging out in Selene, Rokku decided to take Shade to the central part of this innerpeace area, Luna City itself.

* * *

Meanwhile, General Payne, Mega and Jessie approached a large brown, red and white house. The General gave the door a unusual knocking pattern then waited.

"Just a second!" A feminine voice called out politely from behind the door. After a moment, the door opened. The trio were met with a youthful woman looking about to be in her mid-20s, but in truth, she was 30 years old. She had orange-brown hair tied into a long, bushy ponytail. At the end of the ponytail, however, there was a bit of white at the tip, making it similar to a fox tail. She had lilac eyes and light skin.

She wore a short navy blue long-sleeved vest. There were silver plating on her elbows and shoulders. She wore peculiar brown fingerless gloves, looking like they were gloves that a _street fighter_ would use. They, however, were the same exact gloves that Rokku wears, except with a few added gear on them.

She had on a short white and orange t-shirt that had a orange diamond shape design at the chest area. She also had on tight blue pants and wore brown heeled boots with white at the tips and heels.

In all honesty, this woman looked like she was some type of fighter yet also an adventurer.

"Oh! Hey Pyx~!" The woman greeted as she immediately hugged him. The 185cm military man chuckled and hugged his 165cm tall sister.

"Ica, good to see you!" General Payne greeted back.

"It's been so long~!" Ica said, squeezing tighter than the General could. She then released her brother and smiled. "So, what brings you here? And who are your friends?"

General Payne placed a hand on Jessie's and Mega's shoulders. "Ica, I'd like you to meet my most trusted navigator, Jessie."

Jessie reached over to shake Ica's hand, and chuckled sheepishly. "I'm his _only_ navigator..."

Next, General Payne introduced the ancient robot. "And this is Rock; commonly known as just _Mega_ , his, umm, "nickname" that he likes."

"Glad to meet you ma'am!" Mega greeted, shaking Ica's hand.

General Payne was relived that introducing Mega would be easier than he thought. It was also a good thing that Mega was mostly seen in his civilian clothing instead of his armor. But then again, what would he need his armor for when he could simply megamerge with Rokku to increase the power?

"Nice to meet you both!" Ica greeted to the both of them.

"So, sister," General Payne began. "We came here to speak with you, and Ryder as well. It's very important."

Ica's face dropped a little, looking a bit more serious and at the same time worried. "What is it?"

"May we come in?" He asked.

Ica nodded and allowed her guests to enter her home. Ica and Ryder had the third largest house in Selene. Along with the basement, they also had an upstairs as well as an attic. There's a total of four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, two bathrooms and one large backyard.

Ica lead the group to the dining room where there was a large square shaped table, enough to fit two people on each side, with a total of eight chairs around the table. However, the group decided to stand instead of using the chairs...

"Your house has changed a bit in terms of arrangement, sister..." General Payne said, examining the new positions of the couches in the living room.

Mega took the time to look around and from afar, he could see what appeared to be 5 year old Rokku on his adoptive father, Ryder, while Ica was playfully poking Rokku's cheek, making him appear to be laughing.

"Hey, I know that voice!"

Everyone turned their attention to the 182cm tall man with black-brown spiky hair and silver eyes. He had a slight muscular build, wore a grey tank-top, blue pants, and unique purple and white shoes. He wore the same gloves as Ica did, except his were dark purple. He also wore a dark purple headband around his forehead and a dark purple sleeveless vest.

"Ah, Ryder, perfect timing." General Payne said, tilting his hat to him.

Ryder stood next to his wife. Side by side, Ica and Ryder looked like fighters of some sort... Ryder in particular, despite not being one, looking like a military man.

"Before we have our talk, how about we have something to eat?" Ica asked cheerfully as she went to the kitchen. "I'm sure you all must be hungry for my delicious lunch~!"

Payne smiled and nodded his head. "And I take it there will be dessert on the side?"

"You got it~!" Ica snapped her fingers

Ica had served lunch to her guests. It was macaroni & cheese, fried vegetables and mashed potatoes. On the side were cookies and a slice of cheesecake for everyone (and also a cup of water). 30 minutes in, and Payne had already asked for fourths of everything, causing Jessie and Mega to laugh at the General's bottomless stomach.

"So, Pyx, what is there to talk about?" Ica asked, drinking her water.

"It's about your son, Rokku." General Payne began.

Ica and Ryder took a quick glance at each other before turning back to the General.

"What about Rocky?" Ica asked worriedly. "Has something terrible happened to him!?"

General Payne held up a hand. "At ease, sister. Rokku is completely fine... For the most part."

That last bit didn't seem to help ease Ica down in the slightest.

"As I have learned recently, a day after Rokku's birthday, he left on his own personal journey to see the world." The General continued. "He didn't exactly get far."

"Where is Rokku?" Ryder asked calmly. "Where's our son?"

"He's alive and well." Payne answered. "Right now, he's with a new friend of his, showing her around the innerpeace area."

Ica raised a brow. She had caught the gender specific pronoun her brother had thrown out. " _Her_?"

General Payne ignored his sister's acknowledgement of which gender Rokku's friend was.

"Listen though, Rokku has been... Getting into some trouble... Particularly with the Mavericks." Payne said as he held his hands together over his mouth.

"Trouble with the Mavericks?" Ryder asked. He then began to chuckle. "Surely, he could handle a few Mavericks!"

Payne chuckled a bit also. "Heh Heh, well, I think he can handle more than a _few_. But on to my point."

"Over the past month, Rokku has met Mega here," Payne continues, pointing his eyes to Mega. "And..."

General Payne begins to explain the story to the Akihiro parents. However, he refrains from mentioning Rokku's defeat by the hands of Bass Kai or anything Rokku or Mega wouldn't want Ica or Ryder to hear. Of course, Payne is unaware that Ciel is the one responsible for Rokku and Mega Man's megamerge, but since the General doesn't know this, he doesn't tell the parents...

* * *

While in Luna City, Shade got to see Rokku's favorite places to hang out. One that stuck out the most was, unsurprisingly, the arcade in the mall. According to Rokku, the majority of the arcade machines within the store were ancient, existing around the 21st and 22nd Centuries. Although Shade herself had no interest in video games, she couldn't help but find it intriguing to see ancient technology from the far away past.

As the two were walking in the city, Rokku suddenly stopped. If Shade wasn't paying attention, she would've bumped into the kid.

"Rokku? What's wrong?" Shade asked, curious as to why he went to a sudden halt.

" _P-Pouce_..." Rokku whispered.

"Excuse me?" Shade asked.

As if it already wasn't sudden enough, Rokku then made a mad dash forward.

" **MY BUDDY NEEDS TO KNOW I'M HEREEEEEEE!** " Rokku cried, catching the attention of many citizens.

Shade was already embarrassed by her friend's sudden outburst, but she needed to know what the heck he was talking about, so she chased after him.

" _R-Rokku..._ " Shade thought, blushing a little from the anxiety.

Although Shade was without a doubt _much_ faster than Rokku in his base/human form, he was running inhumanely fast. Even so, she caught up, but she couldn't help but find Rokku's abilities to be...unrealistic. She questions where this type of cartoon-like speed and agility is located when he's fighting Mavericks. She doesn't put too much thought into it though, feeling that it probably wasn't a good idea to dive too deep into such humorous topics such as this.

Shade followed Rokku to a large white hospital building. This was the Luna Hospital, which was exactly what it sounded like: A place to heal the unwell.

"Rokku... Why did you want to come here so badly?" Shade asked her companion as she followed closely behind him. The two was walking through the hallways.

The ravenette was in awe when she saw Rokku take the stairway instead of the elevator right in front of them. Very desperate to get an answer from him, Shade followed in hot pursuit. They climbed their way to the top of the building. Shade, however, passed by Rokku by effortlessly running across the railings. Then she got in front of him, blocking his way to the door leading to the top floor. She had her arms folded and a very annoyed look.

"You know ignoring me is very rude, Rokku." Shade said in agitation.

To her surprise, Rokku slipped right past her... Specifically by sliding right underneath her. His foot was used to open the door and he kept running. It was as if he was a strict reploid like the robots in those old sci-fi films; Willing to do whatever it takes to complete it's goal.

Shade had to admit that Rokku was pretty tenacious no matter what his goal was; Whether he was Mega Man Neo or regular ol' Rokku Akihiro. She admired that about him... Even if his reasoning for such tenacity is sometimes unknown to Shade...

When Shade followed Rokku into a specific room, she was shocked to see what appeared to be a boy on the medical bed. She found it adorable when she saw Rokku hugging the patient with care.

The patient had lighter skin than Rokku's, short orange-brown hair, and yellow-green eyes. Of course, most, if not all, patients in this hospital was required to wear a hospital gown, colored the typical light blue.

" **Pouce**! I missed ya buddy!" Rokku said, rubbing his cheek against his friend.

Rokku then released his friend and watched as he grabbed a tablet right beside him. He then pulled out a stylus pointer pen and began to type on the screen.

" _Hi Rokku~! It's good to see you too! ^_^_ "

Shade was curious as to why Pouce was typing on the tablet instead of speaking with his mouth. Unless...

"Oh! Shade, this is my friend Pouce!" Rokku introduced. "Pouce this is a friend I met a little bit ago, Shade!"

Shade was still processing everything that was happening, but that didn't break her as she approached the 15 year old patient to shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you Pouce." Shade greeted with a smile.

Pouce happily took her hand and shook it. He then went to start typing on the tablet again. After typing in his sentence, the tablet would make an audible ' _DING_ ' noise to inform others that he was speaking.

" _Nice to meet you too Shade. :)_ "

Shade then took a couple of steps back after greeting Rokku's friend. He had never mentioned that he had a friend in the hospital, but then again, she didn't expect Rokku to tell every little detail about his home area.

"I know you're thinking about it Shade... But yeah, Pouce can't speak unfortunately." Rokku says sadly. "Gotta use that tablet in order to communicate..."

Shade frowned. "Oh, I see..."

"Guess that goes to show that modern technology in the 26th Century can't cure everything." Rokku shrugs with his hands in his pockets.

The kunoichi took a quick glance towards her partner. From that tone alone, she could faintly tell he was still holding grudges towards the human part of the equality law. Even with cybernetics into the human body, it seems that it cannot cure muteness.

Pouce decides to lighten up the atmosphere by going off topic.

" _A-Anyway! Rokku, you're back home awfully early. Are you still going on your adventure to see the world or did you give up?_ "

Rokku gave Pouce a mock gasp. He then bent down to meet face to face with his friend, fists on his hips.

"Me? Give up? Not a chance!" Rokku cried "pridefully", letting out a "prideful" laugh while he was at it. "No, I just so happen to meet my uncle, who just so happens to also be the commander of the Milos Defense Force! Though he is the commander, he's called a general for some reason..."

Shade sighed and began to correct Rokku. Funny enough, Pouce was also beginning to correct him by typing on his tablet.

" _A General is a commander of an army. It's the highest rank in the military. The type of commander you are thinking of is a navy army._ " Shade and Pouce corrected.

"Oh." Rokku simply said. "But anyway, I found unc', and he took me and Shade here. Apparently he wants to talk with my mom and dad or something like that."

Shade noticed that he didn't mention Mega Man at all... For obvious reasons of course.

" _Wow! That's really cool Rokku! Oh yeah, before meeting your uncle, did you come across any Mavericks?_ "

"Of course I did." Rokku said, scratching his nose with a cocky smile. "It's inevitable for me to _not_ confront them!"

" _So you must have had to fight them, huh?_ "

"Oh yeah, some of those Mavericks were a complete joke!" Rokku grinned arrogantly. "I'll admit, as a weak and fragile human, I couldn't _possibly_ take on a large mechaniloid, but those Galleons are too easy! They didn't stand a chance! Haha!"

" _So cool Rokku~!_ "

Shade couldn't help but smile at how brash and arrogant Rokku was acting. In truth, he wasn't lying about any of this. His alter ego, Mega Man Neo, could hold his own much more than he could in his human self. However, Rokku was just showing off at this point, something Shade rarely sees from him. Sure, he would sometimes spout witty comments on the battle field but only when he had the upper hand. Otherwise, Rokku wouldn't have any jokes to quip about because he was losing...

" _Luire would_ never _let me go anywhere_ NEAR _a Maverick of any type. I'm a bit envious of you Rokku, going on adventures and stuff!_ "

Luire was Pouce's older sister, age 23. She was currently attending school in Luna City so she could possibly get a job somewhere within Legion.

Rokku then tapped his friends shoulder. "Don't you worry buddy! I'm sure you'll be able to go on your adventures some day! You know, once you're out of the hospital of course!"

Pouce smiled and gave his response to Rokku.

" _Yeah, my frail body wouldn't be able to take even the tiniest hit from a Maverick... And again, Luire wouldn't allow me to fight anyway..._ "

"Well, at least your big sister cares for her little brother." Shade said with a smile.

Pouce's face expressed confusion. He took a quick glance at Rokku who immediately returned it before both looking back at the kunoichi.

" _Little brother?_ "

"Yeah. You said Luire was your older sister, right?" Shade asked.

Rokku then looked at Shade with a nervous smile as a large sweatdrop slid down his cheek. "Umm, Shade?"

"Yes?"

"Pouce's a girl." Rokku said with a grin. He then pointed...at her chest. "You, uhhh, didn't notice her boobs?"

Both Pouce and Shade blushed wildly when he said sentence.

Admittedly though, Shade did not notice Pouce's..."breasts". She was also unaware that Rokku knew about such features of the female body, given how socially awkward he can be at times. It also made her curious as to what _else_ Rokku knew about the female body.

Still, this was awfully strange for such a " _innocent_ " teenager like Rokku Akihiro.

"I-I'm sorry!" Shade immediately apologized, bowing respectfully to Rokku's friend. "I-I-It's just... The hair...! The face...! T-The body...! I h-had assumed you were male!"

Pouce smiled kindly towards the kunoichi.

" _It's okay Shade. When Rokku and I first met, he thought I was a guy too. I guess at the time, me wearing a baseball hat and dressing like a guy didn't help so much, hehe~!_ "

And so, Rokku, Shade and Pouce continued to talk friendly to each other, telling stories about Rokku and Pouce's "adventures" prior to her hospitalization. She's only been in the hospital for 5 months and it's only because her body's strangely was becoming more weak. This was due to a disease within her body that's messing things up and making her fragile. It's curable, but it's going to take some time.

Of course, Rokku was still Pouce's buddy after years of being friends, and their friendship would continue...

* * *

The sun was slowly beginning to set. Rokku and Shade had been out for at least an hour, and now they were back in Selene.

"So, now you understand why I love my home so much?" Rokku asked Shade.

The kunoichi smiled softly as she gave him her answer. "Yes. But more importantly, I understand why you want to protect the world so badly..."

Rokku tilted his head a bit. "Do you now?"

Shade nods in confirmation. "You want to protect the world... To ensure that good people like those in Luna City can continue to live happy lives without fear. You want these people to have a better tomorrow, not the opposite."

Rokku chuckles bashfully, holding his cheek as it heats up from blushing. "Ehehehehehe... X marks the spot~"

Shade giggles a little. Suddenly, the two stop in front of a large house. Rokku blinks a bit until he realizes where they were.

"Huh... I guess I just unconsciously walked us back to my house..." Rokku said flatly.

"This is your house?" Shade asked. "It's bigger than the other houses we've seen thus far."

Rokku waved her off. "Nah, our house is the third biggest in Selene. One of our oldest neighbors, _Kira_ , has the #1 largest house in Selene. I don't know who's second, though..."

"Kira? You mean the one who's mailbox read _Y. Kira_?" Shade asked.

"Yuh-huh." Rokku nodded. The teen then threw his hands behind his head. "Anywho, you wanna go inside?"

Shade quickly turned to him with the most confused look on her face. " _NOW_ you want to go inside?"

"What's the problem?" Rokku asked innocently.

Shade just sighed and took her turn to wave him off. "I want to go inside as much as you do, but remember, General Payne didn't want us inside yet... How do we expect to get inside without being detected, Rokku?"

"Easy," Rokku began.

Rokku and Shade then end up behind the house where they were face to face with a hatch leading beneath the house. As expected, the hatch had a lock on it.

"Through the basement, of course!" Rokku finished.

The boy took off his backpack to reach into his bag. After a few seconds of digging, Rokku brought out a small silver key. He unlocked the hatch leading to the basement and opened it up. Then, he takes Shade's hand as he slowly goes down the steps leading to the basement.

"W-Why are you holding my hand...?" Shade asked in a whisper as she used her free hand to close the hatch and lock it back up.

"It's pretty dark in here, isn't it?" Rokku asked Shade through the darkness. If this was a cartoon, the only thing visible would be their eyes.

"I-I guess so..." Shade muttered, blushing from how Rokku was treating her. He was definitely kind, no doubt about it. Still, she personally thought she didn't need his help for something so easy. It's not like she has problems seeing in the dark or anything. She _IS_ a kunoichi after all.

Together, Rokku and Shade manage to sneak out of the basement room without making noises that'll attract unwanted attention. As Rokku led Shade through the halls, they got close to the kitchen. The adults, plus the teenage girl and reploid boy, were in the dining room which was beside the kitchen. Fortunately, there was no way the others could see Rokku and/or Shade unless they went to the kitchen and out through the opening leading the living room and everywhere else. As they snuck around through the halls, the two heard General Payne talk about what they believed was related to the Mavericks, but they decided not to pay too much attention to it.

Effortlessly, Rokku led Shade to his room that was far away from the kitchen/dining room but near an alternate route to the upstairs. She was initially confused as to why they weren't listening in on the conversation, but she then realized that Rokku only wanted to go inside, not listen in on them...At least, not yet anyway. Besides, they had to get comfortable in the home before possibly listening in on them.

Slowly and carefully, Rokku silently shut the door in his room.

"Whew..." Rokku sighed in relief over their success in getting without being detected. "We did it."

Rokku then turned around and placed his hands on his hips. He admired his room and how he decorated it. Posters of Japanese anime shows and films, a few figurines from video games, Japanese mangas and/or anime, all the stuff an otaku like Rokku would have; Especially including ancient video game consoles from the past.

Rokku's eyes widened when he heard quiet laughter from his 16 year old friend.

Laughter... That's something he's never really heard from Shade! Sure, they were some giggles, but not actual laughter!

"Wh-What's so funny Shade?" Rokku asked. For some reason, he felt an urge to involuntarily blush.

Shade continued to laugh quietly, but she soon raised a hand over her mouth as she looked at her young friend. "I can tell without you even having to tell me~ This is undoubtedly _your_ room~! Hmhmhm~"

Rokku's face began to become more redder the more Shade laughed. The laughter was quite cute for someone like Shade, but Rokku was embarrassed because this was, of course, his room.

Shade went to lie down on Rokku's bed, ironically colored blue like Mega Man and Mega Man Neo.

"You are such an otaku, Rokku Akihiro." Shade sighed happily. "How did someone such as yourself get into adventuring?"

Rokku lied down right next to Shade on the bed, placing his hands behind his head. "How did I get into adventuring? Well, that's going to require some backstory..."

The teenage boy began to scratch his nose as he gathered up his thoughts in order to tell a proper story; A story about his past.

"I don't remember much as a baby, but I _do_ know that somewhere in Tokyo, Japan, I was found by my Mom and Dad. At the time, they were High School students in Tokyo. Since that day, they took care of me. After High School, they, as Mom puts it, "tied the knot". I guess that means they got married."

Shade nods to confirm this.

"Anyway, they got married, and we moved here to Europe where most of the family was: Luna City. From there, I was taken care of by my adoptive parents and spent a lot of my life here. I was home schooled, of course, so I know my Math and stuff."

Shade then turned to her side, resting her cheek on her hand as she got engaged into his "origin story". "So, you rarely left Luna City?"

Rokku looked at Shade for a moment before his eyes averted the other way. " _Rarely_ , how about never. But that brings me up to the revelation about my adoptive parents."

"You see, my adoptive parents were adventurers. They tended to travel a lot when they were in Japan. However, since they got me, they had to put those days behind them so I could be taken care of. My grandfather, Thaddeus, is my Mom's, Ica's, Dad. He was an adventurer too and the only one in the family at the time. His adventuring days ended around his 70s."

Rokku then scratched his nose again as a sad look took over his face. He refrained from looking at Shade in order to hide his sadness. "He...He passed away when I was only 5 years old... Lived to be 87..."

Shade placed a hand on Rokku's shoulder. The feeling of his kunoichi friend prompted him to look at her.

"I'm sorry." She said simply. She added nothing special or extra to the apology. A simple "I'm sorry" was all she said to him.

Rokku attempted to smile, but he couldn't bring himself to give off that cheerful smile of his.

"I didn't know what "death" was... Until Mom and Dad explained it to me. I was very broken and confused. My grandfather was someone I really looked up to... He was someone who inspired me to become an adventurer now... He told me incredible stories about his adventures and I loved each and every one of them... But I had learned the hard truth... He's gone; And he isn't coming back..."

Rokku held back his tears, even though he really, REALLY wanted to let them loose freely. His efforts were great, but not enough as he allowed one small tear to escape his left eye. It just so happened that Shade was facing this way, so she clearly saw the tear from his left eye slide down his cheek.

"From then on, my Mom would tell me more of my grandfather's stories since he too told her of his stories. I was so inspired by my grandfather's stories and my parents times of adventuring that I too wanted to become an adventurer.

Rokku then turned to his friend, letting her see him smile happily. "On my birthday a month ago, I made a wish and it came true."

Shade smiled back at him, but then she got up and sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from him.

"You're not only tenacious, but also very ambitious. That's very admirable Rokku." Shade said quietly. Rokku then followed her and sat on the edge of the bed with her. "But... Why would your parents allow you to go on an adventure, **alone**?"

"Huh?"

"They are letting you travel around the world, Rokku." Shade began. "The world isn't as safe as you think. Mavericks lurk around, waiting to take away another life, evil people out and about, corruption, etcetra. Those you consider your allies could secretly be your enemy."

Rokku is taken aback by this, but he puts on a brave face. "I choose to go alone from the beginning so that I could make progress as I went. I took a gamble; A dangerous one at that."

"What do you mean?" Shade asked.

"Remember? On my adventure, I just so happened to meet Mega, a new friend. Then I met you, another friend of mine. With you two by my side, I'll never be alone. I took a gamble in potentially seeking friends like you as I adventured. I could've met those who I think is my friend but is really my enemy, but I didn't. I was lucky enough to meet two really great friends who I care so much about."

Shade blushes a bit from being acknowledged as Rokku's friend. "T-Thanks, Rokku. I'm happy that you consider me to be your friend..."

Before Rokku could continue, the two suddenly hear very loud screaming.

" **ABSOLUTELY NOT!** "

That angry sounding scream belonged to...

"Mom...?" Rokku muttered, confused as to why she was yelling.

Shade and Rokku looked at each other with serious and concerned expressions. They nodded simultaneously, both agreeing on the same common goal. The two sprung to their feet and quietly left the room and into the hallways to listen in on the conversation.

"Ica, please calm down." General Payne asked kindly.

"No I will not!" Ica yelled, slamming her hands on the table. "You're asking that my own _son_ become some soldier of your military just to fight Mavericks!?"

"No, you are mistaken." Payne said sternly. "I do not wish to enlist my nephew and your son into the army. I do wish, however, that he assists us in the Maverick attacks. They are much more frequent and potentially planned out by an currently unknown enemy. His strength alongside Mega could be the key to saving humanity."

Rokku's heart nearly jumped out of his throat. _"Dagnabit! Uncle told Mom and Dad that I'm Mega Man Neo!? What the heck man!"_

"Rokku and his friend, Mega, are independent." Payne continued. "I have absolutely no intentions to enlist any of them as part of my army. But I do want their help."

Ryder turned to his wife to place a hand on her shoulder. "Ica, let's think about this deeply. I believe that Rokku fighting Mavericks isn't all that bad."

Ica angrily turns to her husband, making him shriek a little. " _Not all that bad_!? Are you insane!? We are sending a young boy out in the battlefield! Someone his age shouldn't be involved in war!"

The mother then folded her arms. "I knew that letting Rokku go on his own adventure so early was a bad idea! I should've listen to what my heart was truly telling me! That does it! Rokku's staying home from now on!"

Rokku felt his knees get weaker. Shade noticed his reaction to this and was as concerned as he was about his current situation.

 _"S-Staying home...? No more adventuring...? No... No! I can't let that happen! I promised Dr. Ciel that I'd protect the world and that's what I'm gonna do!"_

To Shade, it looked like Rokku rushed out there without thinking, but she knew why he did he what he did. Following her friend, both Shade and Rokku appeared in the kitchen, revealing themselves. Ica and Ryder gasped in unison when they saw their son, in their home when they were told he was out in the city.

 _And who was this girl?_ , they wondered.

"R-Rokku!" Ica cried in relief.

General Payne winced, exasperated at the two teens. "I thought I told you both-"

Rokku frowned and interrupted his uncle. "What are you talking about Mom? Staying home from now on?"

Ica collected her composure and put a firm stance and expression. "It's... Exactly what I said. You fighting these Mavericks is too dangerous."

"Like I don't know that?" Rokku retorted. His tone was something Ica nor Ryder expected from him. "I refuse to step out of the fight."

"You shouldn't be involved in countless fights!" Ica cried.

Her son shook his head. "No one's forcing me to do this. I choose to be a hero."

Ica slammed her hands on the table again. "Do you think this is all some big game to you!?"

Normally, Ica was gentle and peaceful, but when it comes to the safety of her loved ones; especially her son; she'll loose it...

"If I'm being honest, yeah, sorta." Rokku admits. "But I know what's really important. Protecting the innocents of this world is my priority."

"Don't you see, Ica?" General Payne continued. "Even your own son agrees that he should fight. You have to realize that he's not your little boy anymore!"

"Don't you think I'm fully aware of that!?" Ica yelled, on the verge of tears. "He's not well equipped for battle!"

Both Mega and Jessie sat there awkwardly. It was difficult to intervene in family affairs such as this, especially when it involves one's child.

"What in god's name do you mean?!" General Payne asked. "The armor produced when the fusion is complete is strong enough to withstand the Mavericks' firepower. I'd say he's pretty well equipped."

"No, Pyx!" Ica yelled. "That isn't what I'm referring to! The nanobots within Rokku are imperfect! They won't protect him when they are supposed to!"

Rokku's eyes widened a bit. "Whoa Whoa Whoa... What did you just say...?"

Ica's eyes also widened. She had realized that she had revealed something not meant to be heard out loud. Shade also glanced at Rokku, who's face expressed pure confusion.

"What the heck are you talking about? Nanobots?" Rokku asked again.

General Payne sighed in frustration. "Allow me to explain, especially since we all are aware of the family secret."

"As you are fully aware Rokku, you never went to Legion. Therefore, they have no data on you and, more importantly, you were not given the robotic implants as the global law requires. Instead, you have something _else_ implanted within you: _**Nanomachines**_ , or as Ica puts it, _**Nanobots**_. For many years, the majority of the family has been living without the use of robotic implants. However, that all changed about 20 years ago, after Magne, the leader of Europe, made a risky move to become a test subject for the Nanorobotic experiment. It was theorized that with Nanomachines inside the human body, it could enhance our physical strength and endurance. It also would help out with one's health. With it's success, Nanomachines were researched and mass produced very carefully, using partial funding from our continent's nation, Unity, and of course my military's funding. However, as time grew, the funding needed for the development of Nanomachines decreased as they became much more cheaper and easier to create; While at the same time, producing high quality nanobots. After implanting these Nanomachines into other volunteers, it was officially determined that these Nanomachines could be implanted into the family."

"These Nanomachines are the alternate solution to bridging the gap between humanity and reploids." General Payne stated. "It's incredibly cheaper than implanted robotic parts into humans and safer. However, we have to make absolutely sure that these Nanomachines are safe so that it could be publicly distributed to the world. I need to ensure that the Sage Trinity is still unaware of our operation until it is time for the revelation in years to come..."

Shade then decided to speak, recalling something Rokku's mother said that started this entire conversation.

"I just heard that Rokku's Nanomachines were " _imperfect_ ". What exactly was Mrs. Akihiro referring to when she said that?"

General Payne looked away for a moment, but eventually had his thoughts in order. "This is exactly why I wanted to wait more years, to ensure that the Nanomachines were safe. However, this is an unfortunate case for Rokku. You see, Rokku's Nanomachines are faulty; Meaning that they do not operate like they are supposed to."

"What are you saying!?" Rokku asked in a panic. "Are these Nanomachines killing me or something!?"

"Calm down. No, they are not." Payne assured him. "What I mean exactly is that since they are not operating properly, they will not protect you like they are supposed to. Say you get shot by a Maverick. The Nanomachines would normally heal it up and sooth the pain much quicker than the human body usually can."

With that example alone, Rokku recalled that day near the Sanctuary when he and Mega got ambushed by Mavericks...

 _The Galleon Hunter proceeded to shot a energy bullet, piercing right through Rokku's left arm. His eyes shrunk and he yelped a bloody scream. He cringed onto his left arm as it burned from the energy bullet. Tears began to slip away at a rapid pace as blood begin to escape from Rokku's arm. The Galleon Hunter proceeded to aim at Rokku, preparing to shoot again._ That time he got shot in the arm, it didn't heal quick at all. No, it just lingered there as it normally would. The wound was only healed when he megamerged with Mega Man that day.

"These Nanomachines are also the reason you aren't suspected as an illegal citizen by others, especially Reploids. When they look at you, they will see you as a "humanoid" because your Nanomachines, in a way, "masking" you're true identity."

"I...I see..." Rokku said, holding his forehead. "So, I had these Nanomachines inside me all this time?"

"Yes. I wanted to fix them as soon as possible, but... Your mother is quite protective of you, nephew." The General sighed.

Ryder then turns his attention to Shade, curious as to who she is and why someone her age is hanging out with Rokku. "If you don't mind me asking, who are you miss?"

Shade gave the father her attention and stood straight. "My name is Shade. I'm a friend of Rokku who I met after he prevailed in a Maverick incursion in the Forest of Voreius."

Shade took a quick glance at her friend, feeling reluctant to share this upcoming bit due to her position in this conversation. "I...I find him to be a very reliable ally and friend. He's very strong and smart on the battlefield. Though, I'd be lying if I didn't say that he still has some learning to do."

Inspired by Shade's words, Mega also speaks up, catching everyone's attention. "Th-That's right! Rokku's very capable of taking care of himself! And he always looks out for others when he's fighting because he doesn't want innocent people getting hurt!"

"Rokku won't be alone, as Mega and I are by his side, fighting with him till the very end." Shade concludes.

Rokku smiles brightly at Mega and Shade's words. He realizes that Shade was practically recounting his reasoning for fighting and continuing his adventures: Because he wasn't alone in it.

"I'm a hero because I want to protect the world." Rokku stepped up. "I believe that I can be one of those people who can bring a better tomorrow by putting a stop to the Mavericks! It's my duty to protect the innocence of this world we live on! I made a very important promise to fight for peace, and I don't intend on breaking that promise any time soon!"

Ica's heart begins to pound at her chest more times than it should. To hear Rokku sound so serious and determined about his goals made her so happy to be his mother. She felt a mixture of happiness and sadness with his decision and what he will have to go through.

"Y...You are right... All of you..." Ica said, closing her eyes. "Perhaps it was because I still saw Rokku as my little boy. But it was wrong of me to treat him as such."

Ica opened her eyes to reveal how teary-eyed she was becoming. "It was wrong of me to not see that you are growing up Rocky~. Since you're growing up, you have to make grown up decisions. I will not prevent you from helping the world. However, I will hope that your friends are looking after you. I...I don't want to lose you..."

"Don't you worry Mom... I'll be okay..." Rokku said, getting teary-eyed as well. He rushed over to his Mother and hugged her tight. "I'll fight alongside Mega and Shade... We'll save the world together...!"

Shade smiled at Jessie and Mega. The Reploid looked at General Payne who nodded in relief. With Ica's blessing, Rokku was now able to officially fight against the Mavericks.

And it will be a long battle until everlasting peace is finally achieved after over 500 years of fighting...

* * *

Nero leans against the wall. He was repeatedly recounting what that woman, Eden, had told him a while ago.

"..." Nero closed his eyes tighter as the memory flashed back at him again.

 _"It may be hard to believe, but Mega Man Neo, Rokku, is your blood-related brother. It's a complete match."_

Nero is unaware, but Eden had told _him_ before telling Wraith. The madman believes that he is the first to hear of this news, but unfortunately for him, he is wrong.

 _"I can't believe this... The one I fought in the Voreius Forest... Was my brother..."_ Nero thought deeply. He then glanced at the Combi-Carrier on his wrist, the screen shining bright gold for a brief second before dimming back down. _"But... Now that I have found one relative, I may be closer to finding out where my..._ OUR _Mother is..."_

Nero leaned up from the wall and began walking in the hallway.

 _"However, I also need to find out what this '_ purpose _' is for Bass and I. Surely, defeating Mega Man is not all Bass wants to do. But tomorrow, we'll meet again, and things will take off from there..."_


	16. Chapter 15: The Unforeseen

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

Chapter 15 - The Unforeseen

* * *

~Metal Slug 3D - Morden's Theme~

"Hehehehehehe...Hahahahahahaha!"

The halls of the mysterious enemy base echoed once again with the mad laughter of the diabolical teenage scientist. Wraith walked pridefully through the hallway, followed by his children, Ignitus, Neiva and Taranis.

"Finally... Patiently waiting all this time will pay off... I can enact my revenge on the one responsible from my downfall." Wraith said with a wicked grin.

"And if all goes accordingly, this "Mega Man Neo" will also be there." Taranis added. "I'll snuff his life out and-"

" **No**. You will do nothing of the sort." Wraith said.

"What...?" Taranis groaned.

"You won't kill Neo!" Neiva cried. "You **_can't_ ** kill Neo!"

"You don't want him dead because of your stupid crush on him..." Ignitus grunted, rolling his eyes in disgust.

Neiva blushed madly in response to Ignitus' claim.

"Nonononono! Th-That isn't ittttt!" Neiva cried helplessly, covering her face with her hands. "I-I-I just think it'd be b-better to get Neo on _our_ side than mercilessly beating him to a pulp..."

She _wasn't_ lying... for the most part.

Wraith started to laugh. "Hahahaaa! You think well, Neiva~"

The group came across a large door that swung open. What was inside was tons of airships, a few mechaniloids and vehicles, and, of course, captured wild Mavericks from the Outlands; All under Wraith's control.

"The main target is the leader of Unity, the nation of Europe. Mega Man Neo is, for now, not our complete top priority." Wraith said.

"Not our top priority?" Taranis repeated. "You do realize he is our only obstacle in this plan?"

"He ain't the only one." Ignitus snarled. "That girl playing dress up, Shade, is also an obstacle. She's more skilled than Neo."

Neiva whimpered upon hearing Shade's name... Something about it made her feel saddened.

"That's exactly why I have these Mechaniloids." Wraith stated. "There's no way that Neo or his partner would ignore these Mavericks attacking the city. Sure, a few lives will be lost, but it's for the good of the future. I am unsure if that military force will be there too, but if they are, then they are. Just dispose of them."

"B-But... We still can't kill Neo... O-Or Sh-Shade...!" Neiva whimpered, Ignitus rolling his eyes in disgust.

"Yes, Neiva is quite right. Killing Neo would be a complete waste of power and skill... Especially since I'm the one partly responsible for reviving him anyway." Wraith explained, ignoring Shade completely... "I don't know where that woman, Ciel, is hiding, but somehow, that Rokku found her and she improved Mega Man much better than I ever could. Ironic, given that I've lived _longer_ than her."

Wraith stopped in front of a large airship, assumed to be the lead airship. "However, I will not allow someone weak to enter my ranks. Therefore, Neiva, I am giving you the ultimate decision on whether Mega Man Neo should live or die. You three shall test him and see if he is worthy to be within my ranks."

Neiva beamed happily but was also quite nervous to take on such a vital task. Taranis and Ignitus, however, got furious over the doctor's decision.

"Are you kidding me!?" Taranis exclaimed.

"You are letting the life of our enemy be decided by... HER!?" Ignitus roared. "She isn't going to let us finish him off, worthy or not! You know this brat of a sister actually cares for this guy, right!?"

"Actually, I don't know who she cares for: Rokku or Mega Man, it isn't quite clear." Wraith shrugged nonchalantly. "But regardless, I believe she'll make a better choice than you Ignitus, and ESPECIALLY you Taranis."

Both Taranis and Ignitus growled in anger and frustration over the doctor's "bright" decisions.

"Neiva will decide Neo's fate unless I say otherwise." Wraith then loomed over his sons with an intimidating glare; his purple eyes glowing red momentarily. "Any objections?"

Taranis and Ignitus both shook their heads, crossed their arms and looked away in annoyance.

"GOOD! Then let us depart to victory!" Wraith cried, leaving his children to the lead airship. "Nero and Bass are waiting for you inside. Let us depart..."

Wraith walked away to approach a very peculiar mechaniloid. A malicious grin was plastered all over his face over the sight of this beastly designed aero combat mechaniloid.

The alarms began to blare, echoing throughout the hangar. Wraith's "right-hand", Eden, stood beside the large doors to watch Wraith depart on his own piloted mechaniloid as the lead airship, followed by two smaller airships, left through the large opening that would take them to the dark skies.

Once everyone had left, the hangar doors closed tight and Eden was left all alone in the base. With that in mind, Eden turned around to walk through the hallways as the doors leading to the hangar closed together.

 _"Under normal circumstances, I would do what I need to in order to escape Wraith's clutches."_ Eden thought. _"However, Wraith is no fool. He is incredibly smart and clever. He will ensure that I don't betray him in any way possible."_

Eden entered Wraith's personal lab to get to his master computer.

 _"Wraith will know if someone, including himself, has gained access to this computer."_ Eden continued. _"But he doesn't have to know. Not if this computer's 'identity program' is deactivated."_

Eden reached into her sleeve and brought out a strangely designed USB Flash Drive. She placed into the empty USB port and watched as it broke through the computer's defenses. Soon, Eden was offered a password entry. Fortunately, she knew the password to his computer and entered it.

" _SteelBeast_ " was the password... How strange.

 _"I may have the password to actually gain access into this computer, but I am 100% sure that he would not leave his important files without a password entry. Undoubtedly, each folder would contain a different password, much more complicated than 'SteelBeast'. From my times of observing the man, I have acquired two passwords to one or two of these folders. Again, Wraith is a very careful individual. I'm sure he would have some type of embedded system that would regularly change the passwords to these folders. I am fortunate enough to obtain the recent two passwords to their specific folders."_

Eden began digging through Wraith's files.

 _"Clearly, I will not be able to escape this place right away. But even though I am held captive here, I will at least look for some useful information to put you down..."_

She then began to think about Mega Man Neo, the one they seek.

 _"Hmmm, if only I had someway of contacting Mega Man Neo... Unfortunately, that is impossible for me to do without Wraith knowing. Hmph, maybe I could assist Neo in a way... Wraith just recently got his hands on the data Nero received from Neo. Perhaps I could do something to the data... Deleting it would be far too suspicious... No, what I need to do is corrupt the data to make it seem like it was an "accident" of some sort... Hehehe, yeah, that sounds neat."_

Eden then turned her eyes to glance at the camera peering down at her.

 _"Of course, I'll need to do something about that camera. Deleting footage isn't enough. I'll have to use some editing skills to replace the footage with an empty lab to fool Wraith and remove any type of evidence that his camera systems and his computer were tampered with. Hehe, I'll admit, this is all a little fun despite my position here. Sabotaging the man I used to admire and the world will become a better place once he is defeated somehow, someway."_

With that out of the way, Eden continued to dig through the files to see if there was at least something she could learn from her "master".

 _"Alright, this folder looks important. "Diary_Entries", eh? I think I recall one of his children asking him about it. I heard very little, but it seemed like he was telling what sounded like Neiva his origins. If thiss folder contains that, then I may learn more about Wraith."_

Eden then sighed sadly.

 _"You were once an adviser of the Sage Trinity with me,_ **Silas** _... However, you even told me that the name was a fake. The life you told me about was all a farce... What else is all fabricated, Wraith?!"_

Eden took a deep breath and inputted the password to this folder...

What she was beginning to read upon successfully accessing this folder nearly made her faint.

 _"U...Unbelievable...!"_

* * *

It was awfully cloudy this afternoon. The large Milos Force airship was soaring the skies with it's speed at it's nearly highest settings. Rokku, megamerged with Mega to become Neo, was in the same place as before, sitting next to Shade and both sitting before General Payne and the Milos Force navigator Jessie. The group were having a seemingly important conversation.

"So once everything calms down, we will proceed to work on your Nanomachines Rokku..." Payne concluded.

Neo nodded. "Alright, I guess. Not that I'm particularly complaining or anything, but why am I megamerged right now?"

"Yeah, you said that we needed to stay megamerged for awhile." Mega added.

"For one, it's to ensure that Rokku's body is perfectly... Well, "intact". To my understanding, megamerging will completely protect the human body. It will at least ensure that nothing bad happens to you Rokku." Payne explained. "But more importantly, it's for safety reasons."

"Safety reasons?" Shade inquired.

"Yes, for you see, we are about to attend a very important meeting." Payne explained. "Well, actually, _I_ will be attending a meeting. You'll be-"

"-Sorta like security guards and stuff!" Jessie continued with a happy shrug.

Payne had a bit of sweat slide down his cheek as he coughed a bit. "Yes... Security guards. That's basically what it is."

"Where exactly are we heading to?" Mega asked.

" ** _Deza City_**." Payne answered.

Suddenly, Shade's eyes widened and she gasped. Neo looked over at her worriedly.

"Hey, you okay?" Neo asked.

Shade felt sweat on her face. She held her stomach and forced an assuring smile.

"Y-Yes. I just... had some hiccups... That's all..." Shade answered with a small giggle.

Neo then smiled towards his friend; a big happy grin.

"Hehe, hiccups are the worst, right?" Neo asked, slapping the kunoichi's back. She didn't anticipate this and yelped a little. She blushed a bit, looking away from Rokku.

"Anyway, given what's happened in Tera City, Magne fears that Europe is targeted for attack by the enemy. It didn't help that there was a large number of Mavericks in the Voreius Forest not too long ago. Because of this, Magne wishes to hold the meeting in Deza City, where Zen Takeda of Hikari will be attending it, as well as myself." Payne explains.

"You all are having this meeting face-to-face?" Shade asked after (temporarily) removing the embarrassment from her system. "What's stopping you guys from doing a meeting via video call?"

"We are meeting personally to avoid any possible recordings from the enemy." Payne further explains. "Admittedly, I think this is also risky, but less risky than video call. We're taking risks either way and we cannot continue to wait longer while the enemy plans out his or her next attack."

"Zen Takeda? Is that Saya's dad or something?" Neo asked, forgetting if this was true or not.

"Yes, Rokku. President Takeda is indeed Saya's father." Payne confirms. "To make sure she's safe, President Takeda sent his daughter back to Japan while he's here in Europe."

"Awww, really...?" Neo whined a little. "I was hoping we could see her again."

"Sorry, but Saya Takeda is a important individual; Especially to the President." Payne said. "But back to the task at hand. I've sent at least **2000** of my soldiers to multiple major cities in the Enstratos Region; and a total of **800** is here, in Deza City. There's a possibility that the enemy could attack at any time."

Shade was admittedly impressed by the large number of soldiers at the General's beck and call. "You have a lot of soldiers, General."

"My numbers are counting, young one." General Payne boasted. "I ensure that each and every one of my soldiers are to be trusted and that they are willing to fight at 100% no matter how bad the situation is."

"General Payne can tell you the names of every single shoulder in his military!" Jessie said excitedly.

Mega chuckled. "I don't think I want to hear the names of the many soldiers, Jessie, hehe... Besides, the number of soldiers in the Milos Defense Force is about **10000**."

"Oh, the number is bigger than that, Mega Man." The General said with a small but arrogant laugh.

"And we're just two Chosen Ones." Neo said with a small chuckle. "I don't think we could take on such odds..."

Shade propped her leg over the other while resting her cheek on her fist. "So General, you're asking us, two Chosen Ones, to stop the enemy if he...or she should potentially show up in Deza City?"

"Correct." Payne confirms, calming himself from laughter.

As Payne and Shade continue to converse about the situation, Neo keeps staring at Shade. Though she was acting cool and calm, he could sense that she was a little wired; and he wasn't the only one. Mega could also feel this from her.

"Hey, Blue Bomber?" Jessie said, knocking on the large square on Neo's helmet.

The _Blue Bomber_ shook a bit and looked at Jessie wide-eyed. "Yeah?"

"The, uhh, General asked you a question." Jessie said with a nervous smile.

"Ummm..." Neo's mind drawn a blank. Mega couldn't exactly bail him out if he too wasn't paying attention.

"I asked if you were okay, nephew." Payne repeated.

"Oh yeah! Cool as ice!" Neo grinned. "...That particular phrase doesn't exactly match how I'm feeling, but you get the point, right!?"

Payne and Jessie laughed a little, and Shade just rolled her eyes happily. However, she then dropped the smile as she looked away from the group to look out the window. She noticed that it was awfully cloudy outside.

How fitting for how she was feeling right now...

* * *

The group made it to Deza City safe and sound. After landing, General Payne sends a lot of his troops to spread out through the city. These troops were going to be led by First Lieutenant August and Major Trottel. Other troops, Jessie as well, were to remain on the ship, tasked with lookout.

With everything set up, Payne along with Neo and Shade head to the Orion Building. This particular building is where the meeting would be held. Immediately, the adults begin their meeting. All the while, the teenagers, Neo/Rokku and Shade, are outside the meeting room in the halls. The halls had large glass windows with a clear view of the city.

The meeting as, so far, been going on for 40 minutes. Judging from what was faintly being heard from the other side, it didn't sound like it was going to end any time soon...

Shade was sitting down on the couch; Her leg propped over the other and her arms crossed. Neo, still standing, looked at his partner, noticing that she was bopping her foot a bit as she tapped her arm repeatedly with her finger.

Neo and Mega found this to be too much to ignore. The cool and collected kunoichi was acting all fidgety and a little uncertain. This all started on the Milos Force airship when she claimed she had hiccups. This, obviously, was no case of the hiccups. Not at all.

"Shade, what's going on?" Mega asked.

"What do you mean?" Shade slowly glanced at her friends.

"You're... Uhh, shaky." Neo told her. "You look afraid of something."

Shade immediately looked away. "N-No... You're mistaken."

Neo takes a couple of steps towards her. Shade was fully aware of this and her heart was beating faster because of it.

"Shade, I can tell that you're lying..." Neo said worriedly.

Shade immediately springs on her feet and looks away from Neo, staring at the window and out in the city.

"I said you're mistaken. There's nothing to worry about Rokku." Shade falsely assured him.

"Shade... Please talk to me... To us..." Neo pleaded. "You're our friend. If something's bothering you, then you should talk with us... You... trust us, right?"

The kunoichi wasn't acting like herself; That much was obvious. She couldn't fool her friends at this state. She was too...fidgety to be able to successfully make them drop this topic.

"I...I do..." Shade confirmed. "O-Of course I do..."

She sighed and slowly turned her head to reveal what was going on.

"Rokku... Mega... It's... Something difficult to say..."

Neo looked at her with a small smile; Something to soothe her.

"I..."

Before she could continue, she turned her attention to out the window for something had caught her eye. She looked out to the city closely and her eyes widened upon what she saw.

"No..." Shade muttered, taking a few steps back. "They're here...!"

Neo raises a brow and gets closer to Shade. "Yo, what's going on? Who's here...?"

Shade's eyebrows narrowed, returning back to her usual serious look. "Mavericks approaching the city. The numbers are larger than we've dealt with before..."

Neo squinted and sure enough, Mavericks were approaching the city; Mostly Galleon Hunters. He also saw three airships approaching too, and they didn't look exactly friendly.

"Oh shoot!" Neo, alarmed, ran to the office doors. He forced his way through, gaining attention from the three men. "Mavericks! Coming towards the city!"

General Payne stood up from his seat. "I know. Jessie has just informed me."

Magne, looking a bit wounded from his fight with Neo a while ago, looked over at the General. "I will issue an immediate evacuation. None of these citizens shall come to harm...!"

"Neo! Shade! Go out there and fight the Mavericks!" General Payne ordered.

"A-Alright!" Neo nodded, rushing through the halls with Shade immediately following right beside him.

The duo got outside and they found that there was already an explosion in the distance, citizens visibly seen fleeing in terror.

"Rokku, Mega, we're going to split up." Shade told them sternly. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Before Shade could leave, she heard Neo call out to her, making her stop and flinch. "Shade, wait!"

"Rokku, there's-"

"We've hardly actually worked together. Sure there was those minor moments after Ignitus and all, but nothing as major as this!" Neo said. "We need to be side by side on this one! I think this might be bigger than usual...!"

Shade glared at him. "Stop being childish... We can work together by covering ground in different sectors. It'll be done a lot quicker that way. Now stop talking and go!"

Once again, Shade was forcibly stopped when Neo grabbed her arm.

"Shade... You're acting so strange lately... What's going on?" Mega asked.

"You're really worrying me... Please talk to us..." Neo pleaded.

Shade stared into Rokku's eyes. He was truly concerned about her and she felt terrible for making him worry so much.

The kunoichi sighed and stepped closer towards Neo. She gave him a faint smile, and held onto his shoulders.

"I'll... talk to you about this later..." Shade said, beginning quietly. "I promise you... We'll discuss this afterwards... But... n-now's not the time..."

A sudden explosion nearby the duo causes them to flinch. Shade took a couple of steps back and materialized her beam-katana.

"Go now Mega Man Neo!" Shade told her ally. "Protect the innocent!"

With that, Shade rushed off in the other direction.

"SHADE!" Neo cried. He kept calling her name, but his calls appeared to have fell on deaf ears.

Shade kept running and running. The more she heard her name being called, the more she gripped onto her katana.

 _"Mega... Rokku... I'm so, so sorry..."_

She shook away any tears that were about to slide down her cheek and put on a battle ready face. This was a look of an assassin.

Neo sighed sadly.

"Rokku, I want to know what's going on with Shade too, but she's right." Mega said sternly. "If we split up, then we will get rid of the Mavericks faster!"

Neo clenched his fists and turned to his own direction. "R-Right. I can't rely on Shade all the time... We gotta fight on our own sometimes... Just like we did in that E-Crystal Cavern...!"

The Blue Bomber rushed off towards some Milos Force soldiers down the straight and whipped out his Mega-Buster.

"Let's bust some Mavericks!" Neo yelled, charging his Buster.

* * *

Inside the large airship, the flame warrior paced around the command center. His little sister sat on a pile of boxes, swinging her legs back and forth childishly.

"Nero and Bass left before we even got to the city...!" Ignitus muttered. "What are we supposed to do about them...?!"

"Nothing!" Neiva answered. "The ' _high-school delinquent_ ' and ' _black copy of Mega_ ' can do _whatever_ they want!"

Ignitus' eyebrow twitched. "Nero has Bass by his side. What if he's planning to cut ties with us? Gaah! That Nero...! He's always thinking; always planning...! He's up to something...!"

"Again, forget about those two!" Neiva said cheerfully. "Our focus is Rocky and Meggy~!"

Ignitus sighed heavily. He gave his little sister a funny look as placed his fists on his hips. "Seriously? _Rocky_? _Meggy_?"

"Hey, we gotta come up with cute nicknames for them~! You know, to make them feel welcomed when they join our side!" Neiva winked.

"You seriously think they are going to join us? Get real Neiva." Ignitus rolled his eyes, pacing around the room again.

"It's worth a shot, I'd say! Besides, I think Meggy Neo _likes_ me~!" Neiva said, blushing and cupping her cheeks with her hands.

"Which one likes you...? "Meggy" or "Rocky"...?" Ignitus asked half-seriously.

Before Neiva could actually answer the question, the doors leading to the command center swung open with their brother, Taranis, standing there.

"Alright kiddies, enough talk." Taranis pointed his thumb backwards. "It's time to discharge."

Ignitus threw his hands in the air and clenched his fists with a wicked smile. " **Finally!** Let's get that Mega Man!"

Neiva hopped off the boxes and skipped towards her brothers. "Remember everyone~! We ask Neo nicely to join us~!"

Taranis hid his villainous smile from his siblings. "Nicely... _Riiiiiight_..."

Ignitus placed his hands behind his head. "And if he " _politely_ " refuses?"

Neiva placed a finger beneath her lip. "Well... W-We'll have no choice but to neutralize him..."

The flame Celestial Master patted his sister's back, making her yelp a little. "Haha, there's that attitude!"

"Y-Yeah, yeah..." Neiva muttered, a little disgusted by her brothers' ruthless nature. She couldn't stand how they loved to fight so much.

The siblings stood before a large hatch, slowly beginning to open. A gust of wind flew into the airship and the alarms began to blare.

"But remember, **no killing**. Just... knock him unconscious if he refuses." Neiva muttered.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Taranis answered, acting as if he didn't hear her.

Once the hatch fully opened, Taranis engaged his wings on his backpack. With a malicious grin, he dove through and laughed maniacally. Soon, the flames on the back erupted and Taranis took to the skies. It's speed was faster than the airship itself!

"Taranis!" Neiva cried. "Wait for us!"

Neiva and Ignitus jumped through the hatch. Despite being over 50 feet above ground, they landed without injury at all. Neiva's body began to shine briefly. Once the shine disappeared, Neiva was suddenly in armor; Complete with a helmet (that still had her "bunny-like" ears attached), a vest and such.

Ignitus broke into a run, but then hopped into the air. When his feet left the ground, there was a noticeable foot dents in the street. He hopped towards the skyscrapers and ran on the rooftops, rushing after his speeding aero brother.

Neiva giggled as the bottom of her heels grew blades. These weren't ordinary blades either. These particular blades were coated with slippery ice, much like ice skates. Neiva then started to skate across the streets, doing twirls and tricks for fun as she went to follow her older siblings.

While the three Celestial Masters left to find their target, the Mechaniloids continued to rampage throughout the city while citizens panicked in fear and terror.

* * *

"Please remain calm! Everything's going to be okay if we don't panic!"

A few Milos Force soldiers were guiding the fear-filled residents of Deza City out to safety. The others were fighting the Mavericks and helping those who got lost in the war zone.

One reploid man was caught by an explosion from a nearby building and fell to the ground. He grunted and tried to get up but frozen in fear when he saw a Galleon Hunter pointing it's Buster at him. He thought it was the end of him.

But before it could strike, the Galleon turned it's head, and could not react fast enough for what came next. The Galleon was sent flying away by a wrestling-styled dropkick. The mechaniloid broke apart as it hit the ground.

The hero looked at the reploid and knelt on his knee.

"Hey, can you get up?" Neo asked.

The reploid was to shaken to speak, visibly seen trembling violently.

"Don't worry, I'm here to fight the Mavericks and protect innocents like you." Neo assured him with a smile. He offered his hand to the fearful reploid. He, albeit hesitantly, grabbed Neo's hand and was lifted on his feet.

"Call me the _Blue Bomber_!" Neo said pointing his thumb at himself with a grin. He then pointed his finger towards the safe zone. "If you're good to go, then get to the safe zone right away!"

The reploid nodded and rushed off immediately. Neo watched the reploid man go.

"You're doing great, Rokku." Mega cheered. "The Milos Force soldiers aren't too bad either."

They watched as the Milos Force soldiers took out more and more Galleons. A group had just took out a Cannonwalker, as well as a King Flyer.

"They can handle this area. Let's move on." Mega said.

Neo sighed. "I only wish Shade could join us. We're supposed to be a team, right?"

Mega remained silent for a second before he spoke to his friend. "I... understand how you feel."

"I mean, yeah, we split up on our first "mission", but that was because that sea snake mechaniloid thingy snatched us up. That was out of Shade's control." Neo said. "But... I don't know..."

"But, there _is_ a lot of Mavericks this time around, and this city is pretty big. Splitting up did sound like a good idea given the situation..." Mega admitted.

"You're right Mega." Neo said with another sigh. "But she's been acting strange ever since we left for Deza City. She's not herself... B-But, let's focus on that **after** we're done wiping the floor with these Mavericks!"

Neo began to run off in another part of the city, Mega-Buster armed and ready to go.

* * *

~Mega Man X7 - Provocation~

The hero began to slow down, taking a second to take a look at his surroundings. Aside from a few explosions and the sounds of gunfire in the distance, this particular sector was awfully silent. It was like a ghost town... He could see smoke coming from some buildings' entrances and windows, a few small fires in place... The entire area was deserted and looked almost completely depressing.

Neo held onto his Mega-Buster and continued to slowly walk around, examining the sector in search of either lost innocents or Mavericks... Mostly the former, though.

All of a sudden, a mysterious figure landed right in front of Mega Man Neo, prompting him to point his Buster at the enigma. The hero thought it was one of those Deluxe Galleon Wings, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't. No, it was someone else entirely...

One thing was clear, this guy was totally bad-guy material. With this in mind, the hero aimed his Mega-Buster at the foe.

"You... Are you the one responsible for this...?" Neo asked.

The "enemy" grinned a toothy one and gazed at the hero before him.

"You're quite bold to throw out such dangerous accusations." The individual stated with a hint of teasing.

Neo frowned and clicked his tongue. "C'mon dude! That armor, the energy around you, your face! It all spells "bad-guy"! You aren't fooling me any time soon!"

The enemy raised a brow. A few seconds of silence later and he began to chuckle.

"Observant. And here I thought you were the type of person to punch first, think later." He said. Neo rolled his eyes at his insult, knowing personally that he wasn't that type of person at all.

The enemy stood up straight. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed down before the Blue Bomber. "I am Taranis, one of the Celestial Masters..."

Taranis' eyes glowed bright red for a brief moment. "...And the most powerful in the team..."

"Yuh-huh, _suuuure_ you are." Neo said sarcastically. "Sorry buddy, but someone else told me they are the strongest of the Celestial Masters... Speaking of which... If you're a Celestial Master, that must mean you're grouped up with Ignitus and Neiva!"

"And that also means you're aware of who I am!" Mega yelled through the Combi-Carrier.

"But of course! How could I not?" Taranis laughed.

Neo growled a little when Taranis confirms Mega suspicions.

"Now, to answer your previous question, I guess you can say I'm responsible for the attack." Taranis said pridefully. "Had to find some way to get your attention."

Neo aimed his Buster at Taranis with an enraged face. "Maverick scumbag! How could you do such a thing!?"

"It's all for the sake of the world, Mega Man Neo." Taranis waved his finger teasingly. "We're going to go purify this world to make sure everything is back to the way it used to be."

"What do you mean!?" Mega demanded.

"What I mean is back before Reploids and even the ancient Robots were created! Back to where humans were the only...human-like creatures in the world." Taranis answered him.

"I don't know what you mean by "purify" but I won't let you or anyone else get away with this devastation you've caused today!" Neo cried.

The hero began to run towards Taranis, charging his Buster. "I'll smash your face in!"

~Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare - Episode Boss~

Taranis laughed villainously, getting louder the closer Neo got. He then dashed towards Neo and caught both his Buster's barrel and his fist. The hero gasped in surprise.

"You may have stopped Ignitus, but you won't defeat me!" Taranis assured him. "I told you, I am the most powerful!"

"Put a sock in it, bozo!" Neo yelled. He then kneed Taranis' abdomen and released his Charged Shot at him while he was dazed.

Taranis cried and skidded across the ground before stopping himself. His body was smoking a bit and he was panting rapidly. He glared at Neo in fury.

"Drat... He's a lot more powerful than I thought..." Taranis admitted. "Guess I shouldn't have gotten so cocky without analyzing my opponent first hand... I'm making the same mistake as my brother...!"

Taranis stood up straight and activated a long purple energy saber on his wrist. He used his wings to ascend into the air.

"Let our battle truly begin, Neo!" Taranis announced.

The aero fighter dashed at Neo, ready to slice him with his wrist saber. The hero frowned and rolled out of the way of Taranis' dive attack. He then started to shoot at Taranis as the enemy soared in the air, dodging each and every one of his shots without effort.

Taranis decided to return fire, turning his other hand into a Buster and shooting strange projectiles surrounded by what seemed to be electricity. Neo too dodged them, running away, but still shooting at his opponent. Neither of the fighters could land a hit and it seemed like it would go on forever unless a new strategy was thought up.

The aero fighter decided that this was going no where and dived at Neo again. The hero once again rolled out of the way of his dive attack and watched as Taranis immediately went back into the skies after missing his dive attack.

"Geez! This guy is like a eagle mechaniloid or something!" Neo grunted, continuing to shoot at Taranis. "But just like an eagle, he's pretty "dodgy"! I need to get a hit in!"

Neo quickly had the idea to equip his special chip he had received recently: The Fire Chip. Equipping it, the cybernetic background of the Combi-Carrier changed from blue to red-orange, and Mega Man's armor also changed to a more fiery color scheme.

"Alright... Let's see what happens when Taranis tries that dive bomb attack again...!" Neo grinned mischievously. "Once he does it, I'll try my explosive bomb attack!"

"That sounded a bit forced, Rokku..." Mega sweatdropped.

Neo also sweatdropped, realizing that he did force that pun in there, much to his own dismay. Neo was a little caught off guard when he saw Taranis doing his dive bomb attack again sooner than he thought. Still, he was already prepared to give him a taste of his Special Weapon.

"Here!" Neo cried as he threw three miniature bombs that grew larger once within Taranis' range. " **Inferno Bombs!** "

Taranis' eyes widened when he saw the bombs get close to his face. He had zero time to escape the explosion!

"Gaaaahhh!" Taranis was sent flying towards the ground, bouncing off the ground repeatedly until he stopped himself. "That... That was Ignitus' special weapons! Mega Man Neo accessed his Variable Weapon System in order to copy Ignitus' Fire Chip and his Inferno Bombs!?"

He growled and dashed towards Neo once again. The hero was a little bit too slow on dodging Taranis' swipe from his wrist-saber as it slashed at the side of his vest, creating a small tear in it. Still, Neo felt the pain from it and held onto his sides. Taranis dashed again to retry his saber assault. Neo dodged his slashes, but soon released a burst of fire from his Mega-Buster.

" **Hell Blazer!** " Neo cried. Taranis was sent flying again as his entire body was scorching in flames.

" **Grrrrrrrraaaaaahhhhh!** "

"Most powerful? Hah!" Neo taunted. "You might as well be one of those Deluxe Galleon Wingers!"

Taranis growled once more, this time in agitation. He felt his pride being broken with each powerful hit Neo gave him.

However, Neo screamed in pain as he fell to the ground. There was a large scorch mark on his back, impossible to miss. He trembled violently and struggled to get back up, but he turned his head to see who was responsible for that cheap attack.

"I-Ignitus...!" Neo coughed.

Ignitus grinned. "Today is that day when I get my victory, Mega Man Neo! Remember?! I told you I would save my victory for later!"

Neo tried to get back on his feet, but was abruptly shot by another projectile, making him scream in pain!

"Ahhhh!"

Neo was forced back to the ground. Not only was he trembling a lot, but there was static electricity surrounding his body.

"Wh-What's this...?" Mega groaned. "S-S-Some type of... paralyzing shot..."

Taranis glared at his brother as his Buster's barrel was smoking from recently shooting. "I didn't need your assistance Ignitus! I had him!"

"Stop your lying, egomaniac!" Ignitus barked. "You were getting your butt handed to you!"

"I merely underestimated him...!" Taranis (reluctantly) admitted to his brother. "It won't happen again, I assure you!"

Neo struggled more to get up, especially with the electricity surrounding him that restricted his movement.

 _"If Ignitus has a Fire Chip inside him, then I guess it's safe to believe that egomaniac over there has a Electric Chip or something like that..."_ Neo thought.

A sudden shadow was cast over Neo, prompting him to look up. When he did, he was surprised to see Neiva, the "ice princess", standing over him with a cute smile and holding a gigantic hammer. The hammer was very unusual.

The face of the hammer had a purple glow to it and was like hardened diamond. There was also a glowing purple crystal above the face and a yellow edges. The hammer lacked a claw but on the back of the hammer there was large sharp ice shards that were emitting a rainbow glow like an aurora. Also, a ring of data and energy was surrounding the shard, also with the rainbow color to it. The ring was spinning clockwise and hovering around the ice shards like a planet.

Strangely enough, the hammer was taller than Neiva herself! It had to be at least 196cm! That was 36cm taller than Neiva!

Aside from the hammer, Neo noticed the armor on the girl. She looked a little like himself, but of course with the girl look to it and more ice motif. Her long hair flowed with the wind beautifully.

"N-Neiva...?!" Neo muttered.

"Hi Meggy Neo~!" Neiva waved happily, resting her head on the long handle of her hammer. "It's been awhile since we've last seen each other! I missed you so much~! Like my new armor? I call it " ** _Frozen Castle_** "~! Pretty neat, huh~?"

Neo struggled to get up more. He half-expected Neiva to help him up. At the very least, the "paralyzing" effects were gone, but Neo still had some struggle getting back on his feet after the burning shot Ignitus gave him earlier and Taranis' slash at his side.

Neiva frowned and scratched her cheek.

"R-Right... You're kinda hurt, aren't you...?" Neiva said in a whisper. "I-I'll just jump straight to the point then...! Neo, I wanna ask if you are willing to join our side?"

Neo got on one leg and held onto his side as he slowly got back on his two feet. "Wh-What...?"

"Would you... j-join our side?" Neiva asked again, blushing cutely.

Neo winced as he looked at Neiva with his one open eye. "Y-Yeah, I got that but... WHAT?"

Neiva looked away, blushing more and acting shy and bashful. "I-I-I get that you might be a bit wary because my big brothers attacked you and all, but I know you're strong, so it barely hurt, right!?"

Neo coughed a bit. "I...I guess not..."

His trembling body said otherwise though...

"So, I wanna hear your answer! Do you wanna join us?" Neiva asked with some hope. "Join the Celestial Masters and our leader?!"

Neo clenched his fists as he stood tall. He was no longer was trembling, and now had a look of frustration and heroism.

"You sound like a really nice girl, Neiva..." Mega admitted. "But we're on opposite sides here..."

"I'm sorry Neiva, but I'm going to have to decline." Neo said flatly. "I could never join a group who hurts people just to get what they want! I became a Chosen One; A Mega Man, so that I could protect innocent people, not hurt them!"

Neiva frowned and looked away sadly.

"What did I tell you, Neiva!?" Ignitus barked in annoyance. "Told ya he was going to decline no matter what!"

"He's a lost cause! Let's just destroy him!" Taranis yelled, electricity sparking around his Buster.

Neiva's eyes were hidden in her bangs. "I...I see... I understand Neo..."

Suddenly, the hero was whacked in the face. He saw stars in his vision as he was sent flying in the air and colliding with the ground, seeing more stars.

Neiva swung her hammer back on her shoulder. "I understand completely Neo~! You want to be on the opposite side!"

The ice princess started to skate across the street, heading towards Neo as her brothers watched in awe at her unusual strength with the hammer.

"But just because we're "enemies" doesn't mean I love you any less~!" Neiva said cheerfully. "You still like me, right~?"

Neo groaned and struggled to get back up. The hit just now made him more dazed than before.

" _Neivaaaaa..._ " Neo whimpered and groaned. For a girl so "small" and cute, she sure packed a punch!

It could be him just being so light-headed all of a sudden, but he could've swore that Neiva's hammer attack knocked his helmet out of place. Truth be told, it _WAS_ out of place, revealing some of his black hair. He fixed it back to place and the hair was once again hidden underneath his helmet... Except his back hair that was spikier than normal.

He then shook his head violently and sprung onto his feet again, Buster out once again. He watched as the three Celestial Masters started to close in on him.

 _"Splitting up was such a good idea, huh Shade...?"_ Neo thought annoyingly. _"The one time I'm in a bind and you aren't here, partner... I'm sure I can't handle these three on my own...! Especially Neiva! She's a girl! I can't hit a girl...! Nnnnnn, but I may not have a choice, even though I don't like it...!"_

Ignitus whipped out his flamethrower again, a spit of fire coming out of the barrel. "Hahaha, you're going to regret messing with the Celestial Masters, Neo!"

Taranis aimed his Buster at Neo as he stepped closer. "I am going to annihilate you now! Let's see your smirk now!"

Neiva bopped Taranis' head a little with her hammer, making him wince. "I told you, we aren't going to kill him!"

The ice princess then looked at Neo kindly. "We're just going to...Umm, knock him out! Yeah, that's right!"

Ignitus' hands grew into mecha hands and he pounded the fists together. "Oh, I have no problem knocking him out!"

Neo's eyes paced between the three of them. He was going to have major trouble dealing with them...!

 _"Sh-Shade...! Where are you when I need you...?"_ Neo whimpered internally.

Neo took a couple of steps back, ready to shoot his Buster when he was ready.

With not much of a choice, Neo battles against the three Celestial Masters. Unfortunately, his panicked state causes him to lose his focus and take more hits than he'd like!

The Blue Bomber dodged Neiva's swing from her hammer. She was left wide open and could've easily taken a blow from Neo, but something inside told him not to hurt a girl despite the situation. Because of this weakness, Ignitus took this opportunity to punch Neo's abdomen.

The teen let out a loud groan in pain, but he wasn't let off that easily. Soon after, Ignitus sent Neo flying 5 feet off the ground and then he slammed him back on the ground with his other flaming fist. Neo was smashed into the ground, leaving a human-shaped dent in the street.

Ignitus pressed his foot on Neo's chest, making him wince. The flame warrior gave his rival a smug grin.

"So, where's the kunoichi when you need her, huh?" Ignitus teased.

Neo could not give an answer to his opponent. He just glared at the hothead for mocking him.

"I get it now." Ignitus said as he took his foot off of Neo. He then changed his left hand to normal while his right hand was still large and mechanized. He knelt down to grab Neo by his neck-guard, pulling him out of the dent and holding him off his feet.

Neo looked terrible. His armor was beginning to show cracks as well as his helmet. His armor was designed to withstand a lot of attacks, but when he's fighting someone equivalent to him, then it's not going to make Neo feel like a real unstoppable force of nature. No, that honor would more likely go to Ignitus, this hot-headed, cocky, son of a gun...

"Yeah, it's all making sense." Ignitus grinned. "You only beat me last time because that stoic girl interfered and saved ya. But she ain't here now, is she?"

Without warning, Ignitus lightly tossed Neo in the air an then punched him in the face. He was sent soaring towards the ground, but Taranis abruptly grabbed him and took him to the skies.

"Shade has always been like that!" Taranis spoke. "She acts all strong and such, but she's just a weak woman! She always runs away from her problems and thinks hiding her emotions will help her not deal with them!"

Neo winced as he tried to raise his Buster towards Taranis. "H-How... do you guys... know Shade so much...?"

"That's for us to know and you to find out never!" Taranis laughed. He proceeded to shoot Neo with another paralyzing shot, making him struggle to move further. He then "hugged" Neo tightly as he started spiraling towards the ground. Before he touched the ground, Taranis kicked Neo into the ground, making a large crater into the streets. It's impact shattered the already partly broken glass in the buildings that were on ground level.

Neo slowly, but almost reluctantly, crawled out of the hole. He unfortunately saw Neiva looking down at him for the second time and, weirdly enough, in the same pose as she was when she first looked down at him.

"Poor Shade... She never liked to talk about her problems..." Neiva said sadly. "I hate to say it, but I think she's already gone from the city... Far, far away..."

Neo's eyes trembled as did his body.

 _"Run away...? Sh-Shade wouldn't abandon this city, not when people were in danger...! They have to be lying...!"_

Neiva then held up her hammer, readying to swing at Neo. It was as if she was wielding the golf club and Neo was the golf ball. Neo noticed that the hammer was beginning to glow purple and have this dangerous glow to it...

"If it means anything, Neo, I'm sorry Shade bailed on you. You didn't deserve that..." Neiva said. With that out of the way, Neiva proceeded to swing her hammer, hitting Neo's head. Neo cried in absolute agony. That swing could've possibly taken his head off it wasn't for his megamerged state. He continued to scream until he flew right into a building. The collision caused the entire building to collapse right on top of Neo. Pieces of the building piled on and the smoke built up as it was destroyed.

The three Celestial Masters grouped up together, all three of them with smiles on their faces; though two out of the three smiles were sadistic. The other was just a normal one.

The Celestial Masters stared at the building that Mega Man Neo was currently "sleeping" in. The dust clouds blocked any type of vision. Even with the Celestial Masters' enhanced vision, they couldn't see Mega Man Neo's body in the building's rubble. Aside from the sounds of crackling and crumbling coming from Mega Man Neo's "tomb", the screams of the humans and reploids, the sounds of destruction echoing throughout Neo Giga City, nothing was audible.

Ignitus crossed his arms and sneered.

"Hehe, what a bore!" He slurred. "Before he could give me some type of challenge, but now he's nothing!"

Neiva held her fist to her mouth. "Oh no... Do you think we over did it?"

Ignitus scoffed at his sister's words. "Ha! Feeling sorry for the wimp? There's no reason to! He was a loser with a childish ego!"

"But I said we need him alive! We can't kill him!" Neiva cried. "What if he croaked?! Father won't be happy with us...! I... wouldn't be happy..."

Ignitus groaned. "Oh just shut up Neiva! Don't tell me you didn't have fun whacking the "Blue Bomber" around like a hockey player!"

"I-I didn't...! Well, I kinda did..." Neiva admitted.

"Aha! There's your sadistic attitude!" Ignitus laughed.

"I-I'm not sadistic! That's you two!" Neiva angrily pointed at the both of them, Taranis rolling his eyes.

As the three Celestial Masters bickered, the dust clouds were very slowly beginning to clear itself...

* * *

~Sonic Battle - Gizoid~

 **... ... ...  
NAME: Ciel  
DATE: July 8, 25XX  
TIME: 5:00 AM**

 **START-UP: 2%...10%...35%...79%... 95%...99%...100%...**

 **OPENING COMBINATION-CARRIER DEVICE DATABASE.**

 **PLAYING PURE PROGRAM FILE 1/2:**

 **" _Hello Mega Man... Hello Rokku... If you are hearing this, then you must have finally unlocked one of many secret programs stored within the Combi-Carrier... And within Mega Man himself. I am hopeful and thankful that you are hearing me._ "**

 **" _I, honestly, feel selfish and stupid for sending someone as young as you Rokku into the battlefield. I know you told me you were willing to work well together with Mega Man to help the world, but I still feel guilty. I should be the one in the armor fighting the Mavericks, not hiding... Of course, I know very well that I can't leave The Sanctuary until the time is right..._ "**

 **" _But, now that I've given you your aegis, Mega Man, I really hope that you will use this power responsibly. I am trusting that you two will work together to put an end to this world's suffering through the power of a pure heart. I may not be with you physically, but I am most certainly with you in spirit, guiding you as your additional aegis._ "**

 **" _Hehehe, of course, I haven't forgotten about you Mega Man...! I want you to continue being Rokku's guardian and his friend. You two must work together as one in order to prevail in your lives. Please, never give up. Don't let anyone down. Give it everything you have to win. I care about you both deeply, even if we've known each other for a short while...! I know you can do it...! I believe in you...! As long as you keep being the hero the world needs, the innocents will believe in you too!_ "**

 **" _So... Go forward... Mega Man Neo... And take care...!_ "**

 **END OF PLAYBACK.**

 **REBOOTING COMBINATION-CARRIER SETTINGS.**

 **NEW PROGRAM DATA UNLOCKED.**

 **CAUTION: " _TRANSFORMATION WILL ONLY SUCCEED IF TWO BEINGS ARE TRULY BONDED._ " YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

 **DO YOU ACCEPT?**

 **AWAITING COMMAND FROM CARRIER NAVIGATOR PROGRAM TITLED " _DLN-001: Mega Man AKA Rock Light_ ".**

 **... ... ...** **... ... ...**

 **AWAITING COMMAND FROM CARRIER NAVIGATOR PROGRAM TITLED " _DLN-001: Mega Man AKA Rock Light_ ".**

 **COMMAND DEPENDENT ON " _DLN-001: Mega Man AKA Rock Light_ ".**

 **NO FURTHER ACTION UNTIL CONFIRMATION IS ACQUIRED.**

 **DO YOU ACCEPT?**

 **... ... ...**

 **... ...**

 **... ... ...** **... ... ...** **... ... ...**

* * *

From within the Combi-Carrier, Mega Man had opened his eyes with a groan, hearing the digital voice of the Combi-Carrier. It clearly sounded like Ciel's voice being projected through the device. While Neo was immobilized, Mega Man wasn't. A screen was in front of him, awaiting a command. He heard the message Ciel had given to them. Mega hoped Neo heard too. Judging by his beating heart, that meant yes.

All of sudden, Mega saw that the place where his core was located at was glowing light blue. It was a soft and gentle light that he could surprisingly feel despite being within the Combi-Carrier's Cyberspace. The reploid looked on to see that Neo also had a glow near his chest, specifically where his heart was.

Mega could hear his best friend moan. It felt like he was feeling...better...?

In fact, Mega himself could feel a soothing feeling with this gentle light at his core. He could suddenly feel... a heartbeat in his chest...?

That was strange...

He was a reploid, he shouldn't have a beating heart of any kind...

It took Mega some time, but... He thinks he might have an idea on what's going on...

Without hesitation, Mega Man tapped onto his acceptance tab, giving confirmation.

 **CONFIRMATION ACQUIRED.**

 **THANK YOU FOR CONFIRMATION.**

Mega Man smiled. He looked at his partner through the screen. He too was smiling... Whatever was happening was something amazing...

Something powerful was about to be unleashed...

* * *

Outside, Ignitus and Neiva were still arguing, strangely going off an weird tangents that had nothing to do with the current situation. Taranis was, for some interesting reason, standing there and listening to each and every word they spout at each other.

"Well, let me just blow him to bits!" Ignitus suggested irritatingly, displaying a psychotic expression towards his sister. "I'm getting sick and tired of waiting to see if this lemon shooter will wake up from his sleep! Better to just-"

"For the one millionth time! I said **WE AREN'T GOING TO KILL HIM!** " Neiva yelled, getting more furious than usual.

Taranis sighed and looked at his fellow siblings. "As much as I would love to take this guy out, Neiva is right. Wraith is also right about Mega and his host, Rokku. They are more powerful than we think. He has yet to realize his full potential. In fact, I think his potential can exceed to greater heights."

"What are you talking about, man?" Ignitus asked curiously, but was having some slight trouble processing his brother's conception.

"He may have... **_limitless potential_** , just like Mega Man X..." Taranis said dramatically. "However, I can't say for certain. Wraith would more than likely have a better answer than I. But really, we are taking a big risk in taking him in. Like I said, he's more powerful than expected, so there's a possibility of him betraying us as soon as possible. While keeping him a live will further quicken the process because we won't have to look for a new host, his mere existence has the potential of ruining my scheme."

"I think you mean "Father's scheme"~!" Neiva delightfully corrected. Taranis had invisible scribbles above his head, expressing his irritation at this simple correction.

" _Whatever_. Point is, I think we should eliminate him now... but at the same time, I think we should keep him alive and use him for what was originally intended when Wraith revived Mega Man in the first place." Taranis explained.

Neiva put his hands on her hips and scolded Taranis. "Well, we're going with the second option, because we aren't going to kill Neo. This has to be the one million and first time I said this to you ruthless boneheads!"

Ignitus sighed heavily in defeat. "Fine, fine. Besides, given that Mega Man has without a doubt bonded well with his host, he'll make for a more powerful commando or whatever."

"With that finally decided, now all we need to do is go check up on him~!" Neiva cheered. "And I nominate Taranis and Ignitus for being such boneheads!"

Both brothers glared at their sister, making her sweat nervously. They immediately could tell that Neiva didn't want to get near the "tomb" where Neo lies and possibly get suckered punched or whatever.

"Go on, go!" Neiva said, pushing them forward.

With a grumble here and a grumble there, the brothers were forced to go to the destroyed building. So, they started to walk after agreeing to do so.

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders OST - [Track 25] Stardust Crusaders~

Suddenly, a hand erupted from the rubble. That wasn't what made the two stop in their tracks though. What made them stop was the sight of Mega Man Neo's hand having a blue aura surround it. In almost an instant, Mega Man Neo was standing above the rubble, slotching a bit. Bright blue digital particles circled around his body in like the rings of Saturn. Ignitus noticed that Mega Man Neo's eyes were red, seemingly replacing his normally blue eye color.

Mega Man Neo stood up straight, revealing a heroic and confident smile. However, something felt... different. Observing his face, it had the face of a true hero, reminiscent of Mega Man and perhaps heroes that succeeded him...

Neo was still a young teenager, but there was no denying that he looked a tiny bit more mature than he did before.

He began to slowly walk, his aura brightening through the dust clouds. Taranis growled and got into a fighting stance, his brother following the same action.

"Well, well, well..." Neiva gawked in awe, love struck over his crush's survival. "Look at him..."

Mega Man Neo was now in full view, standing tall and proud. His Aura slowly started to dim down, disappearing. His armor was clean and look like it was brand new, showing zero scratches and cracks. His blue eyes were focused and clear, slightly intimidating Ignitus.

"Good..." Neiva continued with blush on her cheeks. "Very well done, Mega Man Neo~..."

The hero watched as Neiva walked and stood with her siblings.

"I can feel our power... Truly becoming one... It's... Higher than before." Mega Man said, taking in this excitement. "Our souls have finally merged together! We have successfully achieved full-synchronization!"

Neo clenched his fist and held it up before himself. "This power... coursing through my body... I feel so much stronger... Our souls linked together is where our strength is unleashed...! I feel like I **_AM_ ** you Mega!"

The teen then shook his fist happily. "This is the power of a Chosen One... The power of a Mega Man!"

Taranis growled viciously. This is exactly what he said would happen. The two have now become more powerful than before.

The aero fighter's right eye's iris enlarged. It had a more cybernetic look to the iris now that it was currently enlarged. He was beginning the scanning process, something only he could do between the three Celestial Masters.

"Combat Assessment Scan... **NGH!** "

Ignitus looked at his brother in surprise. "Taranis, what is it!?"

Taranis growled again, glaring at Mega Man Neo. His eye reverted back to normal. "It's as they said; They've achieved Full-Synchronization. Their focus has improved, yes, but their power has greatly increased too. I would like to declare a calculation error, but my eyes do not deceive me. This is a proper result. I fear that they will be a greater problem now..."

"I understand... This is what Father had predicted regarding the two..." Taranis murmured. "Full-Synchronization is in their grasp and they are never going to let go of it! This is a permanent effect!"

" **YYYEEEESSSS!** " Ignitus yelled eagerly, flames erupting from his body and shaking his fists. His flames died down a little, but Ignitus' psychopathic ally happy expression remained. " **THIS!** This is the type of power and strength I've been wanting from you, Mega Man Neo! You've got me **_really_** excited!"

Neo grinned. "Great! I'm glad you're excited!"

It shook each and every one of the Celestial Masters. For that brief second, it sounded like they heard both Neo and Mega speaking in total unison. It was quite difficult to tell if it was just their imagination or not, because they didn't hear them talk in unison anymore; Just Neo alone...

Neiva grew a big wide smile.

"Then it's decided..." Neiva began. "Mega Man Neo, we're gonna have to knock you out! Get ready~!"

The Celestial Masters lined up with their weapons drawn, gazing at their opponent and ready to attack. Neo whipped out his Mega-Buster, blue and white data energy materializing around his hand and stopping once completely formed.

Now, the Celestial Masters charge forward, aiming to attack their foe all at once.

Neo grinned and began charging his Buster. He felt much more energy being built into his charged shot, more than normally!

The Blue Bomber broke into a run! With a couple of steps, he then leaped into the air and aimed his Buster at the Celestial Masters!

" _ **Let's go!**_ " Neo and Mega yelled in unison!


	17. Chapter 16: Destiny by Blood

**Mega Man Neo**

* * *

 **Hello everyone. So, I got a very important announcement to make. After I complete Chapter 18 of this fic, I'm going to do some..."remastering" of my previous chapters. What I mean by that is, some parts of certain chapters being rewritten, some dialogue rewritten as well as some spelling errors that need fixing. I want Mega Man Neo to be engaging, so I must do some remaster work. Chapter 2, however, will be COMPLETELY rewritten because I am not satisfied with that at all. It was two years ago when I wrote that I remember not feeling it when writing it. It was kind of random...**

 **I promise that Chapter 2 will be a lot more relevant.**

 **Regarding Chapter 16, I made sure to read the entire Chapter for spelling errors and anything like that. This website has some weird issues when it comes to copying and pasting work on here. You see, starting with Chapter 8, I started using DeviantART to write my Chapters. Then, I would copy the contents there and post them here. Some sections aren't bold like they are supposed to, line breaks sometimes are missing, all that. It's a real chore to re-check everything that went wrong when pasting my work here.**

 **But yeah, do look out for future remasters of certain chapters.**

 **Oh! And also, I updated Chapters 4 and 6 a little to include a new detail that is featured in this Chapter. Instead of receiving the Restoration Chip from Ciel in Chapter 4, they receive "Zero's Fragment". You can skip to the end of Chapter 4 to see how that went and you go to the middle of Chapter 6 to see what the fragment does for Mega Man Neo.**

 **Thanks for the views and reviews everyone! It means a lot that people really like my hard work! Also, go check out my DeviantART to see some artwork of Mega Man Neo! It's the only way you're going to see artwork for this fan-fiction~!**

 **I'll delete this message after the remasters are complete.**

* * *

Chapter 16 - Destiny by Blood

* * *

Bass Kai, comfortably hovering above, watched the destruction spreading throughout the large metropolis known as Deza City. Those unfortunate enough not to get away were still struggling to get to the safe zone. Some survived, some didn't. Strangely, Kai didn't seem to show any sympathetic reaction as he watched a building collapse on a reploid woman, crushing her to death.

He watched the Mechaniloids attack their opponents, the Milos Defense Force. Even Kai was impressed over the soldiers' ability to hold their own without having to _completely_ rely on someone as powerful as a Mega Man/Chosen One. They managed to, with very well coordinated teamwork, destroy a large scorpion-themed mechaniloid. This particular mechaniloid was based on the Mega Scorpia, an enemy from the Neo Arcadia era. However, the Milos Force soldiers had just destroyed was the **_Mega Scorpia DX_**.

Having spent a lot of his time at Mizuchi, Bass Kai had learned that Wraith knows a lot about the 24th Century. Given the type of machines the doctor makes, Bass Kai had figured that this rather youthful scientist knew a lot about the days of old; as well as the technology of that time...

However, the fact that Wraith had **_SOMEHOW_** retrieved DLN-001 Rock Light/Mega Man and SWN-001 Bass, two very ancient robots existing in the 21st Century, made Kai's " _benefactor_ " all the more mysterious and dangerous.

The black enigma's eyes were very calculating. As big as the city was, he was able to find his target rather easily. Mega Man Neo, located in the Southeast sector of this large metropolis. He saw the modern Blue Bomber dodge an ice blast from the ice princess known as Neiva, the girl seemingly squealing at her crush's incredible agility. He kicked an Inferno Bomb towards Neiva, but she moved out of the way, leading the bomb to hit Taranis instead.

Bass Kai narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists as he hovered towards the rooftop of a building. He folded his arms and watched Neo fight against the Celestial Masters.

Soon, he would approach his rival...

 _...and brother..._

* * *

~MMBN5 Quest in the Water Remix by KokiRemix~

Mega Man Neo grinned as he jumped back to dodge Taranis' devastating electric blasts. The modern Blue Bomber released more Inferno Bombs as he leapt away from the egotistical aero fighter. The opponent growled, furious over the fact he got caught by the explosions. Bursting through the smoke, Taranis engaged his energy-saber on his wrist and started slashing madly at Neo. The hero effortlessly dodged each strike with a step to the side, a comical jump or simple backflip.

"Sit still you little...!" Taranis growled viciously.

Neo just grinned more, antagonizing his opponent. He was backed into a wall, but that didn't stop our hero. He jumped against the wall and sprung right off it and over Taranis, leaving the poor aero fighter to crash into the wall.

The modern Blue Bomber wasn't out of it yet though. Ignitus came crashing in (literally), slamming his fist into the ground and prompting Neo to vault over Ignitus for safety. The hothead turned around, his eyes glowing red in anger. The fire warrior threw a punch towards his foe, but his opponent, reached underneath and held his fist up, leaving him wide open for a hard kick in the abdomen. Ignitus yelled as he was sent flying towards the same building his brother was in.

Neiva came in and swung her hammer, but Neo ducked underneath and tripped Neiva to the floor with his leg. Neiva smirked and placed her hand on the ground. Much to her opponent's surprise, a ice-shaped fist erupted from below his feet, sending him into the air screaming. Though initially shaken by the sudden attack, Neo used his boot-boosters to quickly get back to the ground. He rushed over to the ice princess, dodging her ice shards while he was at it. The hero jumped and threw a kick, but Neiva bent backwards to dodge the kick, using her hammer to push him back. Neo held his abdomen but shook off the pain to look at his opponent.

The ice princess smirked as she held herself up via her hammer. "You've gotten **_REALLY_ ** strong, Meggy Neo~! Full-Synchronization seems to be such a powerful weapon~"

Ignoring the weird nickname, the modern Blue Bomber smirked right back her. "Yes it is! Mega Man and I achieved this because we truly are the best of friends!"

Neo then chuckled nervously. "...Even though that sounds a little corny, it is the truth!"

Then, the hero went straight faced. "But now, it's time we got serious. You guys need to end the devastation you guys brought here!"

"Even if _you_ are telling me that, I can't." Neiva shook her head. "My father wishes to change the world, and to do that, a little bit of violence is required!"

"Change the world?! If your so-called father's idea of changing the world involves sacrificing innocent people, then I don't want any part of it!" Neo cried angrily. "I like to fight, but only if it doesn't hurt innocents! It's bad enough I have to fight a girl too!"

"Wait!" Neiva cried. "You think it's bad that you have to fight me, a girl?"

"Yes!" Neo shouted. "I don't like hitting girls! Since you're fighting me, it's _really_ hard not to fight at full strength!"

"Hey! That's rude!" Neiva shouted angrily, much to Neo's shock. She was legitimately angry, not mockingly. He and Mega have always seen Neiva so cheerful. "I've been recently upgraded! Haven't you noticed my " _Frozen Castle_ " armor?! If you aren't fighting me at your hardest, then how am I supposed to know if I've improved?!"

Neiva placed a hand on her chest with a genuine, small smile. "If you won't join me and my brothers, then that makes you our enemy. I'm your "boss character", so you have to take care of me~ You get it?"

Neo looks at her, a little baffled but felt some sort of calmness. He could feel her very own battle spirit. And although she was a female, he had no choice but to do his very best to come out on top!

"Alright, I get you..." Neo said, slowly looking at Mega Man through the Combi-Carrier. The classic Blue Bomber nodded his head with a confident smile, prompting the modern Blue Bomber to nod his own head. "If we are truly enemies, then I won't hesitate anymore! I'll give you what you want and fight at full power!"

Aiming his Buster, he released not one, but **TWO** Charged Shots! "Double Charge Shot!"

Neiva was so caught off guard by the sudden appearance of two Charged Shots, she was unable to dodge both of them! Hit by one of the blasts, the ice princess let out a deadly scream as she fell to the floor beaten. The disperse of blue energy from the charge shot revealed Neiva looking beaten.

Neo looked a little horrified when he saw her bruised armor. "Di-Did I overdo it...?!"

He rushed over to the girl, but was baffled to see a very lovestruck expression on her face. She also wasn't as hurt as he thought.

" _Wowww_ , Neo's power is _this_ strong..." Neiva moaned. "It's so strange, but I feel good knowing that I was defeated by the one I like~"

Neo looked at Mega who just shrugged. All the while, Ignitus and Taranis were slowly making their way out of the hole after being temporarily knocked out, mostly due to Ignitus crashing into Taranis while he was attempting to get out of the building...

"Well, you don't look like you can fight anymore, so stand down." Neo cautioned her.

Neiva shook her head. "N-No way! I can still fight!"

She demonstrated this by hopping right back on her feet. To his amazement, Neo saw her moving normally. The scream she let out made it seem like she was dying or something!

"Let's keep going~!" Neiva said with a determined smile. She swung her hammer at the ground, making ice shards erupt from the ground and send Neo flying back. He landed back on the ground and grimaced at his opponent.

"Your Charge Shots are capable of blowing a hole through someone or destroying someone completely. But the Celestial Masters can take on such power! You won't be destroying us anytime soon~!" Neiva said. She then started to skate across the ground towards Neo. She taunted via skating circles around him. A wavy line formed for his mouth as he felt embarrassed over Neiva's taunting.

She then stopped right in front of him and bent down a little to glare at him. "C'moooon! You're still holding back! Fight me for real!"

Neo frowned comically. As much as he hated it, he had to "fight her for real".

Without warning, he kicked her stomach, leaving her to groan and drop her precious hammer on the ground. Neo then grabbed her arm with both hands to lift her up in the air. He began to swing her around, much to her surprise. Spinning 'round, and 'round, until they were like a tornado.

Once again, Neo felt a wave of data flow into the Combi-Carrier...

Neo growled as he released Neiva but not before shooting a Charge Shot at her. She was sent flying to the ground. She groaned in pain, but smiled cheerfully over how her crush was fighting her.

The modern Blue Bomber looked at Mega to notice that the cybernetic background was now light blue and Mega Man's armor was also icy blue.

"What happened Mega?" Neo asked. But then it came back to him. Weeks ago when he copied Ignitus' special weapons. The same thing had just happened with Neiva! "Wait... I just copied Neiva's weapons! I forgot I could do that!"

Mega nodded. "That's right! We have Neiva's Ice Chip, and with that comes _**Snowflake Star**_ & _**Frost Shard**_!"

"Great! Then maybe we can copy some Special Weapons from Taranis too~!" Neo cheered. Suddenly, the moment was interrupted when he saw a fireball hurling right at him.

Ignitus, more enraged than he'd ever been seen before, throws his fist down at his foe. " **DON'T TOUCH MY SISTER!** "

Neo shrieked and dashed away from Ignitus as he crashed into the ground, creating a large dent that managed to lead right into the sewers! The hothead jumped right out of the hole, his entire body engulfed in flames and a bloodthirsty expression.

This was _**Eruption Mode**_ , or more appropriately named, " ** _Rage Mode_** ". He will now become more violent and aggressive than before! Watch out!

Ignitus slammed his fists at Neo, each time he threw his fist, an explosion followed, making Neo a little fearful of the guy. He wouldn't be able to dodge this fiery foe for long! Ignitus only got faster and more aggressive with each punch he tried to connect.

" **HOW DARE YOU HURT MY SISTER! I'LL FREAKIN' BLOW YOU TO PIECES!** " He roared!

Neo growled viciously as he was getting sick of Ignitus' temper-tantrum. Equipping his new ice chip, he decided that it was now time to test out his new special weapons!

"Ignitus! **CHILL OUT!** " Neo cried angrily (unintentionally making an ice pun). He pointed dramatically at his opponent, and three shards coated in ice and snow appeared beside him and shot directly at Ignitus. The three shots pushed Ignitus back and froze him solid.

Mega Man Neo had just used the **Frost Shard** special weapon; Three Ice Shards will appear beside him and he commands them to hit his foe! They are like homing missiles and attempt not to miss it's target! However, this was a " ** _Charged_** " version of the special weapon!

A "Charged" version of a special weapon is charging up his special weapon to use! Only one special weapon can have a Charged version, such as Ignitus' Inferno Bombs! Unfortunately for the Celestial Masters, they are incapable of using Charged versions! They lack the technology Mega Man Neo has!

The regular version of the Frost Shard special weapon is shooting one shard from his Buster! It will not home in on his targeted opponent, but it WILL still freeze his foe solid!

Ignitus quickly melted the ice and snow around his body and charged at Neo. " **GRRRAAAAAAAH!** "

Neo decided to use his next weapon. In his each of his hands was a very thin physical snowflake. He swung his arm, but four more spinning snowflakes in the form of energy came out and struck Ignitus like a whip! He started swinging his arms left and right, hitting Ignitus no matter which of the four energy formed snowflakes struck. Neo began to spin around, causing a multitude of energy formed snowflakes to circle around his body and hit anyone unfortunate enough to be within his range; and that unfortunate individual just so happens to be Ignitus! Neo decided to throw his physical snowflakes like ninja stars and they lingered on Ignitus' body for a good few seconds. While the snowflakes lingered on the hothead, Neo used his Frost Shard weapon again and sent three shards at Ignitus to freeze him solid. Finally, Neo equipped his Fire Chip which changed his charge shot into a fiery one. He released a heated plasma Charge Shot at Ignitus, making him collapse on the ground slowly, his entire body quivering in pain.

"D...Darn you...!" Ignitus growled.

What Mega Man Neo had just used previously was the **Snowflake Star** special weapon; He holds onto two physical weaponized snowflakes! When he swings his arms, four more snowflakes formed of energy (and looking like holograms) will appear and attack anyone within it's range! The physical snowflakes can be thrown like ninja stars and linger on the opponent for approximately 3 seconds, causing small but beneficial damage! He can also spin around like a cyclone and cause multiple energy formed snowflakes to circle around him and attack anyone within! More can be done with this weapon, it only requires great imagination and strategy!

The **Ice Chip** will change Mega Man Neo's regular shots to ice-type shots! While they don't freeze enemies, they do hurt a lot! It's like getting hit by a giant frozen snowball! Once it impacts something hard enough, it'll shatter like true ice! However, it can also engulf weaker foes into the giant snowball and power it up for bigger damage! He can also use the Ice Chip as a "Snowblower" and even use his bare hands to freeze things! It'll be much quicker to use the Frost Shard weapon, but who knows when Neo will need his own hands to get the job done!

Neo looked up to see Taranis carrying Neiva. Both slowly descended to the ground. When Neiva got her feet on the ground, she skated towards her previously dropped hammer and picked it back up. The two siblings stood beside their down hothead of a brother as he struggled to get back up.

"My, I never knew you cared for me so much, Ignitus~" Neiva said. The ice princess found it really cute that her big brother really did care about her well being despite how he acts towards her.

Ignitus merely grumbled as he got back on his feet.

"Calm yourself, pyromaniac." Taranis scoffed. "We need this one alive."

He then glared at Mega Man Neo. "I've decided that it would be beneficial to keep him alive. We'll use his power to fulfill our plans!"

Neo shook his fist at his foes. "I won't let you use me OR Mega for your evil scheme! I don't think I even WANNA know what the plan is, but it's EVIL! I won't let you get away with this!"

"You don't have much of a choice!" Taranis said, equipping energy sabers on _both_ his wrists this time. "I originally thought about killing you, but I decided that it'd ultimately be a waste to let that great power disappear!"

Ignitus pounded his fist into his open hand. "I might have to blow off a limb or two, but you'll be defeated no matter what!"

"I don't like this much violence, but if it's beneficial to the world, then I'll keep on fighting~!" Neiva cheered, placing her hammer on her shoulder.

Neo just frowned at them, ready to strike whenever they made a move.

"Listen to you all!" Mega shouted. "You guys are hurting yourselves! This fighting can end if you guys just call off this attack on Deza City!"

"Mega..." Neo said, causing his friend to look at him. "...I don't want to talk sense to them anymore... It's obvious that these guys are set on their goals..."

Mega truthfully did not want this brutal violence to continue. But, he feared that his partner was right. These Celestial Masters were bent on following the beliefs told to them and were not going to back down from it.

Neo looked at his partner and gave him a friendly, assuring smile.

"Let's show 'em that we're set on our goals too!"

Mega nodded, sharing Neo's great determination.

"Mega and I aren't going with you, I promise you that!" Neo cried. "We were born to protect this world from guys like you!"

~MMSF2 - Wave Battle (Boss Battle) Remix by KokiRemix~

"So come on! **FIGHT US!** "

The Celestial Masters charged forward, weapons drawn. Neo growled and rushed angrily at Taranis first, tackling him into the ground... Knowing fully aware that coming into contact with the aero fighter's arm would download Taranis' special weapons... He kicked off of him to elbow Ignitus in the abdomen. He finally dashed at Neiva, equipping his Ice Chip while aiming his Buster at his female foe, and there he released a Frost Shard from his Buster, hitting Neiva's legs and freezing her in place. The ice princess was **_very_** surprised by the sudden appearance of an ice-type weapon.

"W-Wait...! You copied my Special Weapon too!?" Neiva said in surprise. "W-W-When did you do that?!"

"That's not _all_ I copied!" Neo said in a slightly mocking tone. He turned around and ran backwards to dodge enemy fire from Taranis who was flying above raining down energy shots from his Buster. Neo aimed his own Buster and released a bright yellow blast with electricity surrounding it. It managed to hit Taranis, causing him to scream and soar to the ground like an airplane losing it's wing. He growled and struggled to get back up, looking at Neo with one eye opened.

"Y-You devil...!" Taranis scowled. "M-My special weapon...!"

 _Mega Man Neo got... **Paralyze Shocker** & **Voltaic Charge**!_

Mega Man Classic's armor had a yellow color scheme and the cybernetic background shared the color; themed after _electricity_.

Mega Man Neo has acquired the **Elec Chip** ; short for **Electric Chip**! With it, all of Neo's regular shots become electric-types! A Charge Shot will hurt like lightning! If the shot collides, it'll create a explosive electric blast like a thundering boom! Most effective against those weak to electric-type attacks!

He has also obtained **Paralyze Shocker**! It acts like a taser and will temporarily stun his foes with this very powerful electric field around their body! The duration of the paralysis depends on the victim! Mechaniloids have it worse, leaving them stunned for approximately 10 seconds! Individuals such as Taranis will be stunned for 5 seconds! However, individuals like Taranis who are **_WEAK_ ** to electric-type attacks will stay paralyzed for 10 seconds like a mechaniloid!

Finally, Neo has gained **Voltaic Charge**! Or **Volt Charge** for short! What does it do!? Allow our hero to demonstrate!

" **YAAAAAAAH!** " Neo turned to see Ignitus yelling at him with his fists engulfed in flames.

Neo's body started to be surrounded by intense blue electricity and his entire body shined brightly. Neo was, admittedly, surprised and confused, but he then focused his attention to Ignitus. All of a sudden, Neo became a giant blue sphere of electricity! He, almost a lightning speed, charged at Ignitus, tackling the fire warrior and sending him flying for the millionth time before the sphere disappeared. Neo was back to normal, but he was really baffled.

The **Volt Charge** envelops Mega Man Neo's body in really intense electricity, appearing to be a sphere! Neo has full control over this quick charge attack! He can move anywhere but he goes at the same speed; which is almost as fast as a bullet! However, Neo can only stay in this "sphere" for an incredibly short time! BUT, the Volt Charge has other uses besides _charging_ into his foes! He can use it for speed boosts or gaining extra height! Leave it to Mega Man Neo's imagination!

"That felt... trippy..." Neo said. The poor teen was more dizzy from the Volt Charge than confused.

It may... take Neo some time to get used to this particular special weapon...!

Neo shook his head and rushed at Taranis who had long managed to get out of the paralysis. The aero fighter released tons of energy bullets like a machine gun. Neo dodged the majority of the bullets, getting hit by some, but pushing forward as if it didn't bother him. He managed to dodge the rest of the energy bullets before he got close enough to release a Charge Shot in Taranis' face. The blast sent the aero fighter crashing into the ground with his body smoking a little. Taranis slowly gets back up as his siblings join his side; Ignitus having recently freed Neiva of her own prison with a bit of heat.

~Music Stop~

"Full-Synchronization is... a really powerful fusion..." Ignitus coughed.

Taranis swiped his arm. "Grrr, we aren't going to win this fight now! We need to retreat!"

"Retreat!?" Ignitus screeched. "I'm not running away from this!"

"This is a _tactical retreat_ , you buffoon! We cannot hope to defeat Mega Man Neo; Not in our conditions!" Taranis told him. "We'll need to come back more prepared!"

Suddenly, it began to rain. Neiva looked up and held up her hand to feel the rain drops splashing on her palm. She grinned cutely as she looked back at Neo.

"I guess... I need more improvements..." Neiva said with a uplifting chuckle.

"You guys going somewhere?" Mega asked in a slightly menacing tone.

"We'll meet again, no doubt." Taranis growled. "It's obvious that you've become too powerful. What would the point be in trying to defeat you when we aren't properly prepared?!"

"We kinda trained to battle you _before_ your Full-Synchronization..." Neiva said with a nervous giggle. "We didn't expect you to achieve it so soon. A minor setback on our part, hehehe..."

But then Neiva held up her hammer cheerfully. "But I can't wait to fight you again Neo~! Please don't hold back like last time, okay?!"

"We'll settle this properly someday! One-on-one!" Ignitus shouted. "So don't get _too_ cocky, you little gnat!"

"Farewell, Mega Man Neo!" Taranis yelled.

Taranis ascended in the air and flew off. Neiva followed after him by equipping blades underneath her heels and skates after him while Ignitus uses his giant gauntlets' flame bursts to dash after his siblings.

"Get back here!" Neo shouted.

"Let them go." Mega told his partner with a sigh, prompting Neo to look at his friend through the Combi-Carrier. "They aren't a threat right now."

"But... They're getting away!" Neo said. "Shouldn't we go after them and finish the fight!?"

"The fight is finished." Mega Man assured his friend. "They aren't in much condition to fight. There's no point chasing after them when we have more important things to be concerned about: The innocents who were unfortunate enough to get hit in this incursion..."

Neo took a minute of silence before responding to his buddy. "Y...You're right... I still have a bit to learn as a hero..."

"Well, I don't expect you to be like me." Mega said to him. "In all honesty, you like violence more than I do. Although the type of violence you like is more friendly and competitive. I guess I can enjoy that too..."

"But anyway, now that the Celestial Masters are gone, we can focus on the rescue mission."

"Yeah! We can meet up with Shade an..." Neo face went a little pale, thinking of his kunoichi friend. He began to recall what the Celestial Masters had said to him about her...

 _"You only beat me last time because that stoic girl interfered and saved ya. But she ain't here now, is she?"_

 _"She always runs away from her problems and thinks hiding her emotions will help her not deal with them!"_

 _"Poor Shade... She never liked to talk about her problems... I hate to say it, but I think she's already gone from the city... Far, far away..."_

~Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Enclosure~

Neo almost felt teary for a moment, but he refused to let them go. He saw a blinding flash of lightning, followed by a loud thundering boom, but he didn't shake nor acknowledge it. One of his many fears is lighting and thunder, but he was too focused on something far more important than his fear of such weather effects.

All he could hear was the sound of the rain, the slightly rare sounds of thunder, and gunfire from presumably the Mavericks and the Milos Force in other sectors of Deza City. He could hear the sounds of the city being attacked a little bit more and the cackling fires near by him...

" _Sh...Shade..._ " Neo whimpered. "Mega Man, do you really think...she left...?"

"O...Of course not! Why would she?!" Mega asked, giving Neo some hope. "She partnered up with us so we can stop the _**Knight of Despair**_! Why would she run away when she's aware that this enemy could be the one who'll destroy the world?"

"I know, but... Those guys were talking about her as if they **KNEW** her... And before, she looked so frightened... She didn't want to tell us what was going on..." Neo said, shaking his head. "A part of me believes she wouldn't abandon us, but... I'm so confused and a bit angry that I don't know what to believe..."

Given that he's dealing with a major crisis that's more devastating than Tera City, this type of carnage was a lot to take in for the 13 year old. Amazingly, he hasn't broken down to tears. He knows that without a doubt, some innocents' lives ended in this very city today. He's upset that the enemy is doing this to "change the world", and he doesn't have a complete idea on what their definition of changing the world was. So far, it seemed that violence was the answer, and this was the type of violence he despised.

"If I could just see Shade again, I'd hug her and never let go..." Neo said. "She's our friend..."

Neo began to remember his time with Shade. Though she seemed a little aloof, she was like his teacher. She taught him things that would help him become a better fighter and a hero. The times where she would become open were the most precious things Neo loved. He wanted to explore more of that with his new friend.

He told her about why he decided to become an adventurer; a very important reason involving his dear deceased grandfather. He got to share his favorite food, pizza, with her and she loved it! He even found out that Shade has a fascination for food in general! It was cute!

Though they've only been friends for less than a month, it was still a friendship he'd like to continue. He wouldn't be able to control himself if she had actually left.

It tore him up inside at the thought that his friend abandoned him. If she really had problems, he would like to hear them so he and Mega Man could help her.

Shade was special to Rokku Akihiro. She was someone he had come to like; to adore. She was important to him and his heart.

For a very long time, Pouce was his only true friend. Ever since Pouce got sick and was sent to hospital when she was 12, Rokku felt lonely. He was already a little socially awkward in his childhood and it didn't help that Pouce was unable to accompany him when he wanted her to. He may have had some friendly neighbors in Luna City, but deep down inside Rokku still felt a little lonely, despite how cheerful and energetic he acts...

Mega Man was the one responsible for making that loneliness he felt for a long time slowly disappear. It would continue to go away as he befriended others such as Jessie from the Milos Defense Force. Mega Man, however, became Rokku's best friend and partner.

But alongside Mega Man, Shade was the one responsible for reminding Rokku of the good times he had with Pouce before she was hospitalized. The feeling of never being alone, the feeling of sharing memories with one another, the feeling of love and compassion.

Shade and Mega Man were Rokku's friends, and he wanted the both of them to stay by his side for as long as he lives...

...because he doesn't want to feel lonely ever again...

He felt his heart thumping through his megamerged chest. It was pounding at his chest, wanting to burst and escape. He was praying that Shade didn't betray his friendship, because he would lose it if she had...

" _ **You never cease to surprise me, Blue Bomber.**_ "

Neo suddenly became appalled. He felt a dark chill up his spine. He forced himself to turn around and look up, gazing at the individual responsible for catching his attention.

~Contra: Shattered Soldier - Destiny Confrontation~

There, standing at the edge of a broken building, was his arch-rival, _**Bass Kai**_ , glaring down at him. His cold red eyes pierced him once again.

"I thought you had sunk to the bottom of the sea." Bass Kai continued, speaking more intensely and personal than before.

Neo narrowed his eyes. Instead of being fearful of his opponent, he was more annoyed and angered. Before his fight with Ignitus at the Energy Crystal Mines, Neo felt afraid to fight because he painfully lost against Bass Kai prior. But after dealing with the Celestial Masters, the devastation brought to Deza City and it's inhabitants, along with his own personal emotional struggle, Neo was in no mood to see this guy's face right now.

"You... What are you doing here?!" Neo growled.

Kai jumped off the roof and landed on the ruined street cleanly. He walks towards his rival, frown and all.

"Though you clearly lost in our previous battle, you've grown to become even stronger as a result." Kai said to him. "You have even achieved the Full-Synchronization I've heard so much about."

Neo stood up straight, but his glare was still set on Kai. "Did you come all this way just to mock me? If so, then get lost."

"Whoa, sounding a bit menacing there, kid." Bass said half seriously.

A hologram of Bass appeared alongside Kai, appearing as if he was standing right by his side. Suddenly, a hologram of Mega Man appeared right beside Neo. He glared at Bass intensely, but his expression changed from irritation to surprise.

"Wait a second!" Mega gasped. "You guys... You guys have that device too!?"

Kai looked at his wrist before looking back at the classic Blue Bomber. "Of course. The Combi-Carrier."

"So, you jerks just went and copied the design!" Neo shouted angrily. He was furious to know that Ciel and her friends' hard work was mimicked; used against what it was meant for...!

"When I knocked you out at the Voreius Forest, I used a special mechaniloid to copy the data you had within the device." Kai explained. "However, I was merely able to use 10% of the data because the device you have proved to be far more sophisticated than my benefactor anticipated. Even though it's not as powerful as the genuine article, this copy is more than enough to power myself up."

"Although, I did not retrieve just data, _**I retrieved some of your DNA too**_."

Neo and Mega glared at Kai and Bass, clenching their fists.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Neo asked, fearing the answer.

"Exactly what I said." Kai said bluntly. "The Combi-Carrier seemed to have connected with your body. When you megamerge, you become an entirely different entity. But with that device connected with you, I was able to retrieve some DNA samples. And what I found was quite a shock..."

Kai then narrowed his eyes. " _ **Rokku Akihiro**_..."

Neo's widened for a brief moment, but he returned back to his angered expression and equipped his Buster. He slowly placed his hand on the arm cannon, but refrained from aiming it at his arch-rival just yet. "You better start explaining yourself...! How do you know my name!? What exactly did you find in my DNA!?"

"My benefactor is the one responsible for learning your name." Kai said bluntly. "He says your name was within the data of the Combi-Carrier."

"The DNA samples, however, revealed that you and I have a connection; A _deep_ connection." Kai explained.

The black enigma pointed at Mega Man Neo dramatically. "Rokku, you and I..."

"... **Are _BROTHERS._** "

Neo let out a gasp of surprise. He took a couple of steps back, unable to comprehend this bombshell of a revelation. He shook his head violently and aimed his Buster at Bass Kai.

"I...Is this some type of big joke to you!?" Neo exclaimed. "Well, I'm not laughing!"

"Trust me, it was a shock to me too." Bass Kai said earnestly. He then closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "For so long, I've felt that something was missing in my life... I questioned why I, **_Nero_** , was in an orphanage. Where was my mother, or my father? Did I have other siblings? Many questions I asked myself but never got an answer to... Until recently, that is, where I got an answer to one of them."

 _His mother... His **biological** mother..._

Rokku has never thought about his biological mother or father. He knew he was adopted, but he never was bothered by this. In fact, he seemed to have embraced it because his adoptive parents _were_ his parents no matter what. He never questioned the whereabouts about his biological parents nor did he have much interest in doing so. He was focused on his life now and his adventures... And of course, people like the Celestial Masters who are planning something evil with the world he loves so much.

But here Nero was, his possible brother, revealing his questions about his true family.

"I'm one step closer, Rokku." Bass Kai said. "I have found my own brother..."

While Kai was sounding genuinely relieved, Neo was skeptical. He was also in no mood for jokes given the situation now.

"So maybe you are my brother, but what now?" Neo asked. "If we really _are_ brothers, what do you want to do about it?"

Kai showed Neo his copy of the Combi-Carrier. He frowned menacingly... "Given what I have observed, you seem much more interested in becoming this world's ' _savior_ '. I, however, have no such interests. I have my own goals."

"Which is!?" Neo asked, sounding impatient.

"One of them is to one day find my... **_OUR_ ** mother..." Kai answered. "But other goals involve becoming powerful..."

"You seek power?" Mega Man asked.

"Yes. I have come to believe that might controls everything." Kai answered, his voice sounding more deadly and dangerous the more he spoke...

" _Might controls everything_ , huh? You sound no different than these Mavericks out here." Neo grunted. "If you are going to act like one, then I'll take you out without hesitation."

Kai narrowed his eyes further, glaring fiercely at his brother. "Will you now?"

"How do you intend on guarding this world without power?" Kai continued. "Might controls everything. Without strength, you cannot protect anything..."

" _Let alone yourself..._ "

Neo growled. "I'm not the same guy you fought before. Mega Man and I have gotten stronger and with Full-Synchro achieved, we're very persistent opponents..."

The modern Blue Bomber sighed and lowered his Buster (though he did not de-equip it). He stood up straight and just stared at his supposed sibling. "But I don't have time to "play" with you. Mega and I got much bigger things to take care of."

Bass snarled. "Put a sock in it! We didn't come all this way to have kid talk! You and I still have a score to settle!"

Mega Man frowned in annoyance. Spending more time with Rokku has allowed him to have more memories of his past, and one of the memories he has recollected was the many senseless battles with his rival, Bass.

"We've been absent from this world for _centuries_ , and still, you're fixated on something so stupid!?" Mega cried.

"We are destined to fight, whether you like it or not, Mega Man!" Bass yelled, pointing at the classic Blue Bomber.

"Hmph..." Kai smirked. " _Battle_... You've given me a good idea, Bass."

Neo didn't particularly like that look on his "brother's" face. He raised a brow and held onto his Mega-Buster once again.

"Rokku... No... Mega Man Neo, you are not the only one who has achieved Full-Synchronization." Kai announced.

"Don't tell me..." Neo sighed.

"Yes, in a short time frame, Bass and I have acquired this synchronized power." Kai told him. "The unison of the mind and the soul... The power between two trusted companions... It's such a dangerous power and I am glad that Bass and I have acquired it."

"Face the facts, Bass and I are more experienced in our megamerged form, which is why we achieved Full-Synchro faster than you did."

Neo rolled his eyes. "...Or maybe, it's just a fluke because you have a bootleg Combi-Carrier."

Kai shrugged. "Nonetheless, I see that we are on opposing sides. So, let us see which pair has the strongest bond. Who is superior? The reincarnated Mega Man or the reincarnated Bass?"

Mega Man shook his fists in absolute anger. "No! I refuse! There's no point in fighting! Especially when lives are already in danger!"

"You care too much about others..." Bass yelled. "...When you should be focused on your opponent right in front you!"

"I don't have time for this!" Neo shouted, swinging his arm to the side. "You two are just being bothersome now! Our rivalry is meaningless in this time of crisis! You guys are just like the Celestial Masters; Picking fights at terrible situations! I refuse to fight scumbags like you!"

A spark of light shined in Bass Kai's eyes as he whipped out his Bass-Buster. "You're pathetic, Neo. You have the potential to become so powerful... And yet, with such a gentle soul, you'll never reach the full extent of that power."

Bass grinned as his holographic form began to glitch and go static until it disappeared completely.

"It's no wonder why dangerous people are interested in you. You possess great power and potential, but you're wasting it." Kai continued on. "However, you must be forced into an intense conflict in order to get 'serious'."

Suddenly, a dark and powerful burst of energy surrounded Bass Kai, creating an aura of great power! Neo raised his arm over his face, but once in the clear, he glared at his foe, looking at the violent aura around his body. His cloak was dancing with the aura as the black enigma floated a foot off the ground. He looked at Neo with murderous intent.

"I must drive it out of you... Your _**true power**_..." Kai said in a menacing tone. "...If you refuse to do so, then I will have no choice but to **_kill_ ** you... I want to see if my brother and the ancient robot from the 21st Century is capable of becoming the ultimate life form! Show me your strength...! **Show me what you're made of!** "

Neo watched Bass Kai release more bursts of power. Neo just growled in anger. He needed to go assist the Milos Force soldiers in rescuing other citizens and driving away the Mavericks. But here, he fought the Celestial Masters and at the worst possible time, his rival appears wanting a rematch to see who was superior. It was frustrating! It was aggravating! And he didn't want anymore to do with it!

Unfortunately, Nero and Bass would not listen to reason...!

Mega Man shared his partner's expression. His holographic form also disappeared in the same way Bass' did.

Neo clenched his fist as a blue aura of pure energy surrounded him. He vehemently gazed at his opponent, angry at what was to come.

"Grrrr..."

Neo suddenly dashed towards Kai, reeling back his fist.

" **You're both so stubborn!** " Neo cried.

Bass grinned as Kai dashed towards him. "Yes... Let it out! **GET FIERCE!** "

Mega Man Neo and Bass Kai clashed fists, creating a gigantic impact and destroying the streets and debris with their colliding power!

This was it; The destined rematch to decide who was superior!

* * *

The Galleon didn't even get the chance to aim it's Buster. Before it could even _attempt_ to do so, it was sliced in half horizontally by a beam-katana, collapsing on the ground and exploding to bits. The one responsible for the kill was the kunoichi of the shadows; Shade. She dashed past the destroyed Galleon and went to slash more. To them, they were nothing but cannon fodder that could easily be obliterated with one swift strike from her saber.

However, she began panting heavily. Her left eye was struggling to stay open while her right was as wide as normal. Her heavy breathing wouldn't stop, and she placed her hand on her chest as she traveled further. No more Galleons crossed her path thus far, but that didn't change the fact that Shade was looking exhausted.

...No, she wasn't exhausted. She was breathing so heavily due to intense **_anxiety_**. Despite her current condition, she didn't skip a beat when she came across a Galleon unfortunate enough to get in her way.

"H-Hghh..." she grunted. "Why can't I stop thinking about it...?"

She continued to fight as many Galleons as it took, but her fighting and sudden anxiety has begun to cloud her mind. She was slowly but surely separating from the Milos Force group she had decided to stick with after clearing her own personal sector minutes ago. Unfortunately, none of the Milos Force soldiers who were with her did not notice her departure due to their own focus on Mavericks that still poured into the city from the airships above.

Shade traveled far and seemed like she was going crazy.

"Why do I feel so weak?" she asked herself.

She wasn't referring to her physical strength, but rather, her _**mental strength**_. The ravenette took time to lean against a building wall, to calm herself and breathe a little easier. She closed her eyes and focused for a moment.

"N-No... That's nonsense... I am not weak. Focus, Shade..."

~Megadimension Neptunia VII - Insecure Feeling~

Despite all the noise throughout the city, Shade managed to ease herself. But, she would not take her eyes off the ground as she was now thinking deeply about two people she had decided to tag along with:

 _Rokku Akihiro and Mega Man..._

 _"Mega Man..."_

"Rokku..."

Shade sighed and looked at the sky as it began to rain down on her. She removed her hand from her chest and glanced at her beam-katana; The weapon she has practically mastered. She felt powerful with this weapon. She felt that she wouldn't have to worry about having tough armor like her friend, Mega Man Neo, because her beam-katana was more than enough to protect herself.

Although she felt terrible when she heard Rokku cry out to her, she knew that separating would be better strategically. Their focus was rescuing the innocent. But maybe... He and Mega Man were more worried about her personally.

Undoubtedly, she was acting strange ever since Deza City was brought up, but she was tight lipped about expressing her reasoning for why she's been acting the way she's been acting.

 _"I won't feel alone as long as I have Shade and Mega by my side!"_

Shade suddenly sniffled and placed a hand over face. She sniffled a little more and tried her hardest to hold back her tears...

...But she was unsuccessful.

She let out a single tear from her left eye, allowing it slide down her cheek and drop onto the recently formed puddle beneath her feet.

The girl looked distraught and in emotional pain. She felt like collapsing on the ground.

However, she did not allow any further tears to fall after failing to prevent one of them. She placed her hand on her forehead and glanced at her surroundings. Destruction was everywhere. Fires were becoming bigger but not spreading. It was almost like hell to Shade.

" _ **Well, well, well...**_ "

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012): Phantom Blood OST - [Track 9] Himeru Omoi~

Shade's eyes widened as if she was about to die. She snapped towards the general direction of where the voice came from. Her eyes nor her ears deceived her. Before her were three individuals, one hovering the air and two on the ground; one carrying a giant hammer and the other having small flames bursting through the holes of his giant gauntlets.

This trio were the last group of people the kunoichi wanted or needed to see now.

"Hello, Shade..." Taranis said coldly but with a wicked smile. "Here, we were intending on finding father and getting a Plan B in order, but here you are..."

Shade gripped onto her katana tight.

"You surprise me. I thought you would've been 10 miles outta here, yet you stay..." Ignitus snarled.

Neiva, unlike her brothers, didn't have a mocking or taunting expression. She looked saddened... And therefore, she said nothing...

"With the devastation in the city, I'm really surprised you haven't ditched this city, Shade..." Taranis taunted.

Shade clutched her head but kept her gaze at the aero fighter. She felt awful...

"You could've prevented this you know..." Taranis continued, sounding more villainous by the second.

Shade clutched her head more, on the verge of tears once again.

She could've _warned_ her friends of the impending danger...

She could've prevented this...

She could've made a difference...

Taranis landed on the ground and whipped out his Buster, watching the girl before him clutch her own face with her hand. Although he and his siblings were still injured from the fight with Mega Man Neo minutes ago, Taranis believed that they could not let this opportunity pass.

The kunoichi was right there. Mentally tormented by Taranis' words and everything else. She felt such a lump in her throat that would not go away no matter how much she begged.

But, she finally let go of her face, her glared viciously at Taranis; looking more serious than she ever have before.

"If you crave death, Taranis..." Shade began.

The aero fighter grinned maliciously. The hothead pounded his fists together. And the ice princess nervously and reluctantly held up her hammer, afraid of the outcome.

Shade's hand holding the blade twitched.

And she had a look that refused to take anymore abuse, no matter the type...

" _ **...**_ ** _Y_** ** _ou shall have it._** "

With a breath, Shade blitzed towards the trio, her eyes glowing crimson and a loud hum of the energy blade slashing at her foes...

* * *

~Megatagmension Blanc + Neptune vs Zombies - Virtual Singularity~

Mega Man Neo, still engulfed by the intense blue aura, rushed towards his arch-rival with a vicious expression! His Mega-Buster's barrel gleamed as his Charge Shot reached maximum level! Bass Kai shared his opponent's expression, dashing forward as he held onto a dark sphere of energy in the palm of his hand! Once close enough, both released their blasts! However, both fighters missed their targets, for they simultaneously moved their heads to the side to escape obliteration!

Kai took a quick step aside and kneed Neo in the stomach. Kai prepared to slam him on the ground, aiming to grab his rival's face to do it. Much to Kai's surprise, Neo grabbed his wrist and threw the black aggressor away from him. Bass Kai dashed at Neo at dangerous speeds. The modern Blue Bomber was startled by his sudden speed increase and got tackled into the air.

Bass Kai was now soaring in the sky with Neo now in his grasp. The black aggressor tossed Neo upwards lightly, grabbed his face with one hand and rushed down back to the city streets. Kai smirked as he scratched the streets with Neo's head. Fortunately, the damage didn't hurt too much since he was wearing the great and reborn Mega Man helmet.

When he was done with his assault, Kai tossed Neo in the air again, grabbed his leg, and slammed him down on the ground. Just as Kai was about to pound Neo into the road, the modern Blue Bomber held up his Mega-Buster and released a burst of energy, pushing Kai back a bit.

This attack was known as ' _ **Buster Burst**_ '! True to it's name, the Buster will release a short but powerful burst of energy from his Buster! It is comparable to a strong physical punch!

Kai wiped his lip with his fist and let out a single 'heh', noticing that his opponent was hardly fazed by the attack. He aimed his Bass-Buster and shot a volley of purple energy shots. Mega Man Neo rushed towards his foe, using his quick reflexes to side-step, slide, and vault over each and every one of his foe's shots. His efforts were not in vain, for Neo succeeded in getting up close and personal with his arch-rival!

Neo threw a few punches at Nero, but the black aggressor would dodge them all. Kai gave his brother a taunting smile, mocking his inability to inflict damage on him. After concluding his taunts, Kai shot a Instantaneous max power Charge Shot from his Bass-Buster, forcing Neo back as he let out yelp. The hero did not slow down and charged right back at his opponent, giving him a three punch combo, a upward followed by a downward kick, a turn-around punch, a quadruple hurricane kick and a shoryuken-styled finisher! His fist even had a blue fiery-like effect to it!

Neo landed on his feet and got back into a fighting stance, getting into the groove of battle.

Bass Kai fell back on the ground, growling. He taunted his brother and paid the price with a fighting-game styled combo that proved to be super effective. Whatever Neo learned from video games can actually be, at least within his abilities, replicated almost with ease. Childish but very effective.

Once again, Kai released an instant Charge Shot at his foe. Neo jumped out of the way, dodging the blast. While Kai had admired Neo's speed...

 **... _He was faster_.**

Kai dashed right past Neo, causing the hero to spin and yelp in pain. He looked at his right hip and noticed there were three slash marks on it. Digital particles surrounded the marks, attempting to heal it up. Once again, this was the result of Zero's fragment Rokku and Mega had received a month ago from Dr. Ciel. Despite the assistance, Neo would not heal up as quickly as one thinks. The fragment heals Neo up over time. Therefore, Neo needed to avoid taking heavy damage from his opponent.

Easier said than done, unfortunately.

The modern Blue Bomber glared at Kai whose back was turned. He held up his hand as he glared right back at Neo from behind. His hand had a black and dark purple aura surrounding it, though the aura had a shape, making it similar to a hand. The aura had sharp fingertips like a demons too. That must've been how Neo was slashed like that! What a mysterious power Nero and Bass had!

Mega Man Neo pointed his Mega-Buster towards Kai's direction and shot at him. Although Neo's Buster shots weren't as fast as Bass Kai's Buster, it was as quick as Neo's trigger finger.

Kai grinned and dashed, effectively ducking underneath the shots. With a mighty leap, Kai started kicking multiple times at Neo. The hero raised his arm, blocking all of Kai's quick and devastating kicks. Before he raised his arm to block Kai's kicks, he was charging his Buster via his other hand.

Unable to block Kai's kicks for long, Neo growled and blasted his foe with a Charge Shot, enveloping the black aggressor with heated energy. He fell on the ground, landing on one knee and his body smoking. But overall, he was still in fighting condition.

Both sets of eyes locked on each other, Neo and Kai raised their Busters in unison. The two Buster's reached maximum charge. Mega Man Neo and Bass Kai aimed their Busters at one another and released a Charge Shot! The blasts collided and pushed them back! Even while this was going on, their eyes were locked on each other!

The smoke from the blast clouded the fighters' vision, but that did not stop Bass Kai from fiercely charging through it. Neo's eyes widen and shook as he dashed backwards repeatedly to escape Kai's wrath. Afterimages of Neo and Kai followed after them as they dashed. The hero skidded on the ground and made a sharp turn. Feeling that this chase was getting almost no where, Neo had decided to kick it up a notch and utilize some of his new weaponry.

Mega Man Neo instantly equipped his Ice Chip and aimed his Mega-Buster. Charging up a particular Special Weapon, Neo sent three Frost Shards towards his foe. Kai managed to effortlessly dodge all three of them. The hero realized that he'd have to try better than that!

Neo equipped his Fire Chip and stopped dead in his tracks. He aimed his arm cannon at his target and charged it up to maximum level. Kai just clicked his tongue tauntingly and readied himself to pummel his opponent aggressively. Neo stood his ground however.

Suddenly, Neo aimed his Buster at the ground! Kai caught on far too late as Neo pulled the trigger, making the ground explode and send the two into the air! Kai was too dizzy to get a grip of himself. Before Kai could search for Neo, he was tackled by a giant blue electric sphere! They crashed into the ground, and Neo jumped in the air, spinning like a ball until he landed flawlessly on the ground.

Kai groaned and quickly got up, but was unaware that three Inferno Bombs were getting ready to blow right beside his feet! Neo took small steps back with a smirk, while Kai was intimidated by his rival's taunt. Kai could not make a move fast enough and was blown towards Neo! This was all going according to Mega Man Neo's plan! With Kai blown towards him, Neo sent three Frost Shards towards Kai, all of them connecting cleanly!

Everything but the black aggressor's head was frozen solid by ice and snow. Kai was in awe at all the elemental moves his brother was able to pull off. Kai had studied Mega Man Neo after his first battle with him and knew after Ignitus' battle with Neo at the Energy Crystal Mines that Neo had a upgraded Variable Weapon System, allowing him to learn and mimic abilities based on his defeated opponents.

Once again, Neo changed into a blue electric sphere and tackled right into Kai, breaking him out of his frozen prison, but bringing him a lot of pain! Kai, having enough of this embarrassment, used his strength to push and hold the sphere back! Neo's time limit on the Volt Charge had already concluded, making him stand in front of Kai unprepared for his next attack. Scrambling to attack, Neo just tried to punch his rival, but Kai caught it and kicked Neo back.

The hero grabbed the ground and propelled him on his feet again to keep the momentum going. He began to dash away from Bass Kai once again.

Mega Man Neo noticed he was getting close to a building and jumped onto it. He kicked against the wall to gain altitude but was horrified to see Bass Kai following suit.

Unfortunately, Neo was unable to wall kick on thin air! He had wall kicked upwards but had not noticed he was above the building right now! Kai, taking advantage of his brother's confusion, rammed his fist right against Neo's stomach, sending him flying in the air. Kai rushed after him, apparently being capable of flight...!

The two were heading straight for an enemy airship. Kai used his speed and caught up with Neo, kicking him straight into the airship...!

* * *

~Azure Striker Gunvolt - Committed to Annihilation~

 _(Also is Copen's Battle Theme, used in Gunvolt 1, and reused in GV2)_

Within the airship, Galleons of many types were getting ready for deployment. They were scurrying through the halls to get to the exit hatch that was getting ready to open when all of a sudden a blue armored boy crashed through the floor and flew smack into the ceiling. The sudden opening on the ground created a vacuum due to air pressure, sucking in the Galleons unfortunate enough to get away in time. Neo, however, wasn't sucked in because he dashed out of the vacuum's reach. Kai swooped in through the hole and started assaulting Neo.

The two fought so fast, it was difficult to keep up with it all! But despite the intensity, the two brawlers were keeping the pace up! The hero countered Kai's kick with his own and tried his Buster Burst again. Kai moved out of the way and punched him again, making Neo crash through multiple ceilings until he reached the top of the airship. He was flying in the air for a short while until he fell on the deck with a grunted ' _oof_ _!_ '.

Neo shook his head violently, but had no time to rest when Kai erupted through the deck. Landing on the deck's floor, Kai dashed towards Neo and threw punches and kicks. Neo either dodged them or countered them, but he proved to be capable of holding his own. Once again, the two shot Charge Shots at each other, missing when they moved their heads to the side. Before Kai could perform his next move, Neo headbutts his rival, forcing him to stagger. He then shoulder tackled him and gave him a dose of his Buster Burst from earlier.

Near the edge, Kai growled viciously as his body was engulfed in his dark 'flames'. He leaped in the air and aimed his Buster down at Neo. It took the hero a second to realize that his foe was aiming to shot a Charge Shot down at him. That was already bad, but beneath Neo's feet was an AIRSHIP!

Screaming in horror, Neo ran like a fool, escaping the Charge Shot but screaming as the entire airship began to explode! Bass Kai's blast had managed to absolutely **DEMOLISH** the airship to pieces!

Neo was plummeting towards to the streets once again as pieces of the airship flew down with him, stabbing into the ground like knives. Neo collided with the ground, bouncing off the ground twice before rolling on it. He made grunts each time he hit the ground. Finally, he stopped but his eyes were replacing with comical swirls, expressing his dizziness.

Neo sighed in relief, happy to know that the debris of the airship Kai had just destroyed landed in a sector where nobody was at. Very fortunate indeed!

Still, Neo had no time to rest!

Kai emerged from the smoke and shot another Charge Shot at Neo, forcing the modern Blue Bomber to dodge it again via jumping backwards into the air. Kai caught up with Neo and dodged Neo's own Charge Shot. After evading the blast, Kai threw a kick. Neo had used his own foot to kick against Kai's and push him back further, giving him some distance. This was a good strategy, but Kai was too fierce and quick! Kai dashed right back at him and shot a Charge Shot once more. However, Neo had ducked right underneath the shot, leaving Kai wide open! Neo gave Kai's chin the boot, sending him back.

Kai growled and returned the favor by kicking Neo's chin. The hero felt so very bruised, but he tried his hardest to keep up! He aimed his Buster and shot at him. Kai rushed through the blasts, taking them like a tank! Neo was surprised that even those shots didn't stagger Kai like before! Kai punched Neo square in the face and followed up with the beginning of a violent pummeling; all with his bare hands!

The black aggressor was just too fast for Mega Man Neo! He could hardly keep up despite his best efforts!

"Come on, Neo...!" Bass Kai yelled as he jabbed Neo in the head. The hero was forced to stagger as he felt parts of his armor legitimately breaking! Some of his hair stuck out through the tiny holes of his helmet! Zero's fragment could not heal Neo with all of this damage being inflicted on him!

"Why do you reject it?!" Kai roared, punching his opponent more. "Why do you refuse to show me your true power?!"

Kai kept beating on Neo, each strike making more scratches and cracks in his armor. Neo felt incapable of fighting back, but this only made him angrier.

He growled furiously, his eyes gleaming strangely crimson...

"Hmph! If you don't want to fight, then that's your decision!" Bass roared in psychotic laughter. "We'll end you either way!"

Bass Kai prepared one final punch to end the battle...!

" ** _DISAPPEAR INTO OBLIVION!_** " Kai cried, thrusting his fist towards his opponent's chest!

Finally, Neo's head snapped towards Bass Kai, glaring deeply into his rival's cold eyes! The black aggressor was shaken when a burst of pure white energy emitting from Neo pushes him far away from him!

Kai crashed into the rubble of a building brought down. He sat in the makeshift, albeit badly made, "chair", gawking at what he could not fathom.

~Mega Man X: Command Mission - Undaunted~

Neo's entire form was overwhelmed with such blinding light and energy. A sphere of pure energy had devoured the modern Blue Bomber and within the sphere, his blue armor was slowly transforming to a white color scheme. Crimson energy resembling wings spreads out from his back.

It was an intense feeling that could not be described so easily! The Combi-Carrier was glitching out violently! Mega Man was nowhere to be seen within the device!

But abruptly, Neo looked at the sky, his eyes filled with nothing but whiteness! A pillar of light followed his gaze; The light ascending to the heavens!

Kai was seeing a scene that he did not understand. He was unsure whether to shoot at the sphere of light or do something! It was perplexing!

Surrounding the pillar of light were holographic 1s and 0s, circling around the pillar like a spiral current in the sea! The digital numbers descended down and entered the sphere!

Beams of light began gleaming from the sphere! One by one, more light rays burst out, until finally the sphere explodes, blinding Kai due to the light matching that of the sun itself!

Once Kai manages to regain his vision proper, he gasps at what he saw before him...

Slowly hovering back to the ground was Mega Man Neo, but clad in white, black and yellow...

His helmet had a large red sharp but curved looking gem sticking out from the front of his helmet. Two yellow curving spikes accompanied the central and dominating gem. His ear plates had not one spike each but two. The ear plates were now colored white with a black circle in the center, and the two spikes sticking out on opposite sides were colored black.

Still, his black hair stuck out from the bottom-back of the helmet.

He had new body armor, with a short, stiff but hard collar that was permanently opened. A circular gem was at it's center and he had two shoulder guards looking stronger than previously.

His Combi-Carrier was no longer blue, but white and black. The screen was no longer glitching out and Mega Man was there, wearing similar armor to his partner. The two bulky pieces on the side of the Combi-Carrier now had long spike ends, extending out to his arm.

His boots were white and the square at the top of his boots were black. The boots were different than before, slightly resembling the old reploid designed boots in the 22nd Century. Black segments came from the back and entered the front, ending where a yellow piece surrounding the bottom of the boots were located. His "shoes" were white with a black oval shaped design on the front of his shoes and black soles.

Finally, Rokku's face was no longer that of a 13 year old teenager...

No, his face had _matured_ ; and his eyes were the most defining feature and proof of this evolutionary state.

His ominously glowing crimson eyes pierced through his brother's as he finally landed on the ruined streets of Deza City. He looked so stern and it was like looking at a cold killing machine.

Nero was baffled and distraught, and Bass was more disturbed at the power radiating off of the new form of Mega Man Neo.

"What...?" Bass muttered in awe.

As much as Nero hated to admit it, he was fearful of this mysterious form. The power was streaming around his body. Who knows what it was capable of!?

Nero's fear contrasted Bass' current emotion. While a bit baffled, he was more fired up than before...!

"Ehehehehe... Yes..." Bass laughed. "I like that look in your eye, Mega Man...! A vast improvement from what I saw before!"

Nero had many questions in his mind, one of them being how Neo was able to achieve this much power.

"Is this it...?" Bass Kai questioned out loud, slowing calming himself. "Is this your... **_ultimate power_**...?"

Neo didn't blink. He looked like he didn't even breathe. He just glared fiercely at his rival.

The two would stare daggers at each other... Kai specifically was patiently waiting for his rival's answer...

* * *

~Mega Man X7 - Combination~

The kunoichi rolled her giant shuriken on the ground like a wheel, creating sparks as it rolled towards Taranis. The aero fighter took the skies but was meet with another giant shuriken spinning in his general direction. He BARELY dodged that one! A second later and he would've lost his head!

He aimed his Buster and opened fire at her. All the while on the ground, Ignitus shot a few heated plasma blasts at her. Shade rushed through all the shots normally...! Not a single one of her opponents' shots touched her. She looked like she was teleporting past each of them! However, this was a demonstration on how quick she was on her feet.

Before Ignitus knew it, Shade was in his face. Without missing a beat, Shade kicked Ignitus' chin, sending him flying into the unsuspecting Taranis. The two were tackled into each other and plummeted to the ground.

"Get off me you dolt!" Taranis barked.

"Shut up, dipstick!" Ignitus retorted angrily.

The two bickered like children, only now noticing that Shade was rushing towards them with her beam-katana in hand and a murderous look on her face. She leaped in the air and glared down at the brothers. She then started to twist and spin her body horizontally towards them! The most noticeable thing here was the BEAM-KATANA HEADING THEIR WAY!

Taranis and Ignitus shrieked and moved aside, dodging Shade's horizontal saw-blade attack. Realizing she was going to miss them, she cancelled her attack and landed flawlessly on the ground. Aiming her eye directly at Ignitus, she dashed at him like a shadow in the night.

Ignitus had absolutely no time to react! Before he knew it, Shade had used her katana to slash his chest! Sparks of electricity flew out from where his giant wound was! She had tore right through his vest and into his chest! He screamed in agony and clutched his chest. He raised his hand and saw some blood on it. Surprisingly, not a lot of it, but blood nonetheless...!

He glared vehemently at the kunoichi, standing there staring daggers into his eyes. She had the eyes of a cold, killing machine... Almost lifeless...

The wind blew as the rain and thunder continued. Her scarf was blowing with the wind.

" _ **Y...You wretch!**_ " He barked.

Slowly, she pulled down her scarf to show her mouth. Still, she had this emotionless, stoic look on her face.

"Right then and there, I could've killed you Ignitus." Shade cruelly. "I'm being generous here..."

Shade took her eyes off him to look at the shaken ice princess, Neiva. She was horrified to see this girl act so deadly.

Taranis had his Buster pointed at Shade. He planned to shoot her should she move, but even he feared that she would be able to evade it effortlessly.

The kunoichi stood in between a triangle formed by a trio of Celestial Masters. Though it seemed she was outmatched in numbers, she had them pegged with strength and skill.

Neiva took a step back, fearing that this deadly assassin would come for her. To her surprise and, admittedly, relief, the ice princess watched Shade avert her eyes back to Ignitus.

"I'm warning you: Leave now." Shade warned. "You won't have time to realize your mistake if you take my warning as a joke."

Ignitus growled and clenched his fist covered in his blood. " ** _Not a chance._** "

Shade's arm twitched. She took a step forward and was intending on dashing right towards his foe to deal the finishing blow.

All of a sudden, Shade's eyes widened as if a bullet was pierced through her...

She let out a loud gasp as she collapsed on her knees. She held her chest and had her hand on the ground, panting heavily.

Neiva took the confusion as her opportunity to make her way to Ignitus. She hugged his arm tight.

"Are you okay, Ignitus?" Neiva asked worriedly, looking directly at his wound as she asked.

Ignitus clicked his tongue, refusing to take his eyes off Shade. "Tch. It hurts like hell, but I've dealt with **_far_ ** worse... Don't worry too much about me, Neiva..."

Shade continued to breath heavily, and she began to sweat buckets. She didn't know what was going on, but she felt a sudden... _surge_ pour into her. It was painful and incredibly difficult to process. She felt like she was dying right now...

"Wh-What's wrong with her, Ignitus?" Neiva asked, scared.

"Like I know!" Ignitus yelled.

Taranis grimaced at the kunoichi that was down on the ground. "Who cares!? She's immobilized! Let's take her out while we have the chance!"

"Don't gotta tell me twice!" Ignitus roared. "C'mon Neiva! Let's wail on her!"

Ignitus started rushing towards Shade, dragging his poor sister with him. She _really_ didn't want to go near Shade. She didn't even attack her while her brothers did...

Taranis facepalmed at Ignitus' action. He wanted his brother to shoot a blast at her from a distance. But now, Taranis had to follow suit so he doesn't blow up his siblings.

 _"Idiot..."_ Taranis thought as he flew towards Shade.

The three Celestial Masters charged in all at once, aiming for a combination attack to ultimately defeat Shade in her weakened state...

Before they (save for Neiva) could initiate their attack, Shade raised her head and her eyes gleamed a bright crimson color, brighter than they normally were. Her eyes, in fact, looked different...!

They moment she rose her head, a burst of energy pushed the trio back. They looked at the kunoichi in surprise. It was small, but energy was radiating off her body for a brief moment... She was shaking violently and she clutched her face in confusion.

 _"Wh-What's happening to me...? What's this pain...?! It hurts... It hurts so much...!"_ Shade cried in her mind.

"Ugh...! What is wrong with you Shade!?" Taranis demanded. In all honesty, this was confusing him greatly. This energy he was feeling... It made him... _fear_ her... It was intense...

Taranis did not expect a proper response. She answered him with more shaking. Steadily, she stood on her two feet. The violent shaking of her body did not subside, however...

 _"This pain... I don't know how much more I can take...! I-It's bothering me like crazy...!"_ Shade vociferated. _"But... This energy... What is this...? Where did it come from...?"_

 _"Is this the source of my anguish...? This violent stream of energy within me...?"_

Shade's shaking was toned down, although it was not gone completely. It was less violent, however. She stood up as straight as she could. She slowly turned her head towards Taranis, glaring at him with her now bright glowing crimson colored eyes...

 _"This pain... It still lingers... But with this pain come some mysterious power... Perhaps... This could aid me in defeating my s... my foes..."_ Shade thought sternly. _"If can ignore the pain, I may come out of this..."_

Suddenly, Shade held out her beam-katana and pointed directly at Taranis.

"Wh-What!?" he barked.

Shade's hair was moving much more than the wind was... Her body was still emitting small but powerful energy.

"Face me..." Shade requested coldly. "Be my test dummy, will you?"

Taranis growled in anger. "Grrrraaaah! You little- **AGGGGHHHH!** "

His backpack lets out loud purple flames and he takes to skies, charging towards Shade.

She adjusted her current position slightly and prepared to strike her foe when the moment was right...

* * *

~JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven - Jotaro Kujo Battle BGM~

Mega Man Neo has glowered at his rival, Bass Kai, for some time now. The latter was patiently awaiting his answer to his previous question.

He slowly raised his clenched fist at Kai. He then opened his index finger, pointing directly at him.

" _ **This is what you wanted, right Bass Kai?**_ " Neo asked. His voice was slightly deeper and matured, but it was still recognized as Rokku Akihiro's voice. It's almost like he went from 13-17...

"Our ' ** _ultimate power_** '... Isn't that what you sought?"

Neo then closed his finger, forming a fist once again. He then revealed his sharpened teeth as grimaced furiously.

"So tell me... Now that Mega Man and I have transformed, have we met your expectations...?"

Introducing Mega Man Neo's brand new transformation... _**HYPER MEGA MAN NEO!**_ Or just **_Hyper Neo_** for short!

Abilities: **Unknown!**  
Power: **Unknown!**  
Speed: **Unknown!**  
Defense: **Unknown!**

Not even Rokku and Mega know how they have obtained this power! However, what they do know is that they have intense energy streaming through their bodies! Though Hyper Neo's abilities were currently unknown, his opponents could tell just by looking at his evolved form that he means business!

Kai shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was seeing!

However, he gradually regained his composure and a smirk was plastered on Bass Kai's face...

"This thing... Your " **Hyper Mode** "..." Kai said. "This is what I sought, alright."

Kai shown his opponent his toothy grin. "You have far **_exceeded_ ** my expectations!"

Hyper Neo flicked his wrist. "Hmph... I see..."

The _heaven knight_ narrowed his eyes further. "But understand this,"

He held up his index finger, much like a teacher. "I didn't attain this form to satisfy you and your expectations. You just really ticked me off, that's all."

"I'm also not here to prove who's superior..."

Out of the blue, Hyper Neo appeared right in Kai's face. The black aggressor was caught off guard greatly by his rival's sudden appearance. It's almost like he teleported right in front of him!

Kai watched as the world around him slowed to a crawl. He kept his eye on Hyper Neo's hand slowly raising, and a sphere of pure energy forming in his palm. Kai had little time to react! He needed to evade!

"...I'm here to beat you senseless! **I'm taking you down, Bass Kai!** "

Kai dashed backwards out of quick reaction. He watched in shock as Hyper Neo shot a blast from his bare hands. The blast was still enough to blow Kai away. The black aggressor managed to keep his standing, but he was in awe at the destruction his opponent had made...

A crater in the street, formed by Hyper Neo's blast, left nothing but debris and smoke.

Though it appeared to a regular blast that could've been shot from Hyper Neo's own Buster, Bass Kai knew that the blast would've critically damaged him.

Hyper Neo, on the other hand, felt that his power was too overwhelming. Though it would be difficult to do so with so much power suddenly in his body, he had to keep his power at a minimum as not to destroy the city.

But his anger seemed to surpass his gentle soul. His fury over the lost of innocent people due to Mavericks washed over him.

" _W-Whoa...! He's so fast! He's so strong!_ " Bass thought excitedly. " _I like it...!_ "

" _He is..._ " Kai agreed. " _I too enjoy this.. This power radiating off of him... This is what we want. This is what we **need**._ "

Kai rushed at Hyper Neo, a black and dark purple aura surrounding his entire body.  
 ** _  
_**" _ **GAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!**_ " Bass howled in laughter, expressing his joy. "Interesting... That's...very...fascinating...! I want to see more of your ultimate power, Mega Man!"

Hyper Neo was not taking any of that! Before Kai could even make move, Hyper Neo thrusts his fist right into Kai's abdomen, making him cry out in pain!

" _ **GEEEEAAAHHHHHHHHH!**_ " He cried in agony.

It felt like that punch... That one single punch... Could've torn _**RIGHT**_ through his stomach!

Kai held his hand over his abdomen, panting heavily. He had little time to rest as he was suddenly kicked in the side of his head towards a building.

Inside the rubble, Kai felt like he should be dead. That punch could've torn through him! That kick could've knocked it clean off his body!

Hyper Neo... This form... It was more vigorous than Kai thought...!

"Hey! What are you doing!?" Bass demanded.

"He's... He's become more powerful than we realized, Bass..." Kai said between breaths. "I think we shou-"

"Powerful...?" Bass started to cackle. It transformed into full out laughter, confusing his partner. "Gahahahahaaa! Don't you get it!? Mega Man is giving us what we've asked for! He's revving at full throttle! It is time for the true battle to begin!"

"I did not lend you my strength just for you to wuss out when the going gets tough! Get back in there!"

Kai felt his power increasing as he began to concentrate on the power he and Bass shared.

"Y-Yes..." Kai muttered. "Your desire to become the strongest..."

His power began to increase more... And more... And MORE...!

"...Just as Mega Man was born as the hero of justice, you, Bass, were born to be the best!"

"Hehehehe... That's right..." Bass grinned. "Let's fight ' _serious_ ' Mega Man...!"

As if on cue, the rubble around Kai broke and spread apart. In the large opening hovered Hyper Neo, his eyes glowing in the darkness. Kai grinned and tackled into Hyper Neo.

The heaven knight nonchalantly grabbed Kai's face and tossed him aside. Kai caught himself and dashed right back him, shooting a volley of blasts from his Buster. Hyper Neo let out a 'hmph!' and appeared right before Kai like he teleported! He jabbed the black aggressor's face and gave him a hyper-version of his Buster Burst!

Kai grinds his teeth in irritation, but doesn't give up...! He dashes towards Hyper Neo, shooting at him again. Kai then accelerated and sped right past Hyper Neo. Despite seemingly surpassing Hyper Neo in speed, the hyper hero didn't seemed fazed. Instead, he disappeared and appeared before Kai once again. His entire body was enveloped in a white electric sphere! Immediately, Hyper Neo charged at Kai, plummeting to the ground resulting in the ground shaking due to the mighty collision!

Hyper Neo held Bass Kai by the collar and tossed him away lightly. Kai landed back on his feet. He looked battered and bruised, much like Neo did prior to his transformation. Bass Kai's hands began to form a dark aura. There, Kai released blasts of dark energy at Hyper Neo. He merely moved to the side, but his eyes were still locked on the black aggressor.

He then rushed at him and started throwing punches and kicks! Kai was a little taken aback by his super speed, but he nonetheless was able to dodge his assault! Kai knew that one misstep would be a grave mistake on his end! He mustn't miss a beat!

Hyper Neo growled savagely. After seeing that sending a flurry of punches and kicks were doing nothing at the moment, he surprised his foe with a sudden horizontal kick. Unexpectedly, Kai had grabbed his leg! Hyper Neo did not seem surprised, but that menacing gaze lingered! Kai aimed his Buster and shot an instantaneous Charge Shot in his rival's face!

When the smoke cleared, it revealed that the heaven knight was hardly fazed by the blast!

"You can't dodge forever!" Hyper Neo cried as he whipped out his Hyper-Buster! " ** _Special Weapons ready!_** "

" _ **You're going nowhere!**_ "

All of a sudden, Kai was getting swarmed with a multitude of different special weapon shots! Frost Shards! Snowflake Stars! Paralyze Shockers! Inferno Bombs! All four of the projectile based special weapons being shot multiple times at Bass Kai!

This was too overwhelming! Bass Kai couldn't dodge this barrage of special weapons! He couldn't block them either! He was hit first by the Frost Shard, freezing his body! Then, he was hit by a swarm of various special weapons, knocking him here, there, everywhere!

Finally, Hyper Neo stopped, leaving Kai on the ground, shaking violently and smoking on various parts of the body. Part of his helmet's fin was broken clean off. He panted heavily and slowly got back on his feet...!

Incredible! Even after surviving that deadly swarm, he manages to get back up! Bass Kai is truly a persistent foe!

Hyper Neo was admittedly surprised, though he did not express it. He just hovered in the air, glowering over his arch-rival.

Kai continued to pant, glaring at his foe. The rain continued to pour down on the city, and the battles surrounding these two fierce brawlers persisted.

No one dared to make a move until they felt one was prepared to resume...

"Mega...Man..." Bass muttered.

"Tell me...Mega Man Neo..." Bass Kai stopped to correct himself. "No... _**Hyper Neo**_... Tell me what is driving you...?"

Hyper Neo just stared...

Slowly, he landed by on the ground, but his gaze on Kai did not slip; not even for a second.

~Megadimension Neptunia VII - Paradise~

"What's driving me is my desire to protect my world." Hyper Neo answered. "I was granted this power in the beginning, and it is my responsibility to use it for the greater good. As the holder of this great power, I had to get stronger so I can face off against people like you...!"

"This power you see before you is the power of unison...!"

Bass Kai kept breathing heavily, taking all of this info down. "Unison... The power combined itself from two users and manifested as a new power entity... The same as Bass and I-"

Kai's partner began to laugh, surprising him.

"Unison? Ha!" Bass scoffed.

A holographic image of Bass appeared right beside his partner, grinning and laughing.

"This type of power is what makes you weak **_AND_ ** useless, Mega Man!"

Kai looked at his partner, confused as to why he would say that.

Hyper Neo folded his arms in irritation. Suddenly, a holographic image of the classic Blue Bomber appeared beside Hyper Neo. Mega Man was wearing a simplified version of Hyper Neo's armor, matching something that he could potentially wear in the 21st Century.

"This type of power makes me weak!?" Mega yelled angrily. "If that's so, then what are **_YOU_ ** doing Bass!?"

Bass attempted to speak, but he stopped himself, taking in Mega Man's words.

"You know that on your own, you're weak against foes like Ignitus and Taranis! You wouldn't stand a chance!" Mega Man cried. "So you resorted to megamerging with Nero, in hopes that you'll feel powerful again! Tell me I'm wrong, Bass!"

"Yo-You...!" Bass was unable to respond. Mega Man was, to his displeasure, correct... After all, why else would Bass seek the Combi-Carrier after his battle against Mega Man in the Forest of Voreius?

"I was not going to be left in the dust while you get stronger, Mega Man!" Bass barked. "There was a chance I could become stronger, and I took it!"

"And to achieve your power, it required you to merge with someone else." Mega Man added.

Bass went silent once again.

"If you say unison makes one weak and useless, then that makes you that: Weak and Useless!"

"Shut your dirty mouth, Mega Man!" Bass roared.

Kai just listened to their conversation. He was actually...interested in Bass' motives aside from becoming stronger.

It was true... Bass only megamerged with Nero so he could get powerful.

"You're wrong when you say we are weak, Bass." Mega Man continued. "In weakness, we find strength."

Kai blinked. "Say that again?"

"It's exactly what he said, Bass Kai. 'Weakness' makes us stronger." Hyper Neo said, his arms still folded. "On my own, I'm a simple human with abilities limited to what a human can possibly do. However, with Mega Man by my side, I can accomplish bigger goals. It's with his aid that I'm able to fight our foes and stand a chance."

"I... I don't understand!" Bass cried, conflicted.

"Bass Kai, you said that you've come to believe that _might controls everything_. You think that having help makes one weak..." Mega Man said. "But you consider Bass your partner, don't you?"

Kai, albeit reluctantly due to uncertainty, nodded his head. Bass noticed this and snapped towards him in surprise. He was speechless...

"That's why you two are so strong... Because of your combined power..." Mega Man continued on. "The same power you share with us is because of unison. Rokku and I become stronger. You and Bass become stronger. It's all because of fusion. The bond that ties us together... Trust, respect, reliability... All of it comes together to form this great power..."

"No matter what your reasons were for wanting to megamerge, the bottom line is you two joined together to create a great power. You're partners, whether you want to admit it or not."

Kai and Bass looked at each other for a moment. After all they've been through, how could they have not seen each other as ' _partners_ '? It was strange not to do so... Even with the slightly rocky start, the two had gotten along easily and became a force to be reckoned with.

Bass looked away from Kai, staring elsewhere. He then turned his attention back to Mega Man. "Ma...Maybe you're right... But, that doesn't change the fact that I'll prove my superiority over you!"

Bass then shook his fist at Mega Man. "You are my foe...! My greatest challenge! I was born to be the strongest there is! That is all I care about! The only way to prove my superiority is by defeating you, the one many insist is stronger than I, Bass!"

" _ **You IDIOT!**_ "

Both Kai and Bass shook and blinked at Mega Man's sudden outrage.

It was times like this that Bass reminded the duo of Ignitus due to his similar obsession of wanting to beat Mega Man Neo...

"Why do you continue this cycle of aggression!?" Mega Man demanded. "In the past, we've fought so many times and it was all because you wanted to prove you were the strongest! Look around you, Bass! Look at the type of world we're living in now!"

"Being the best is not important! Why do you still want that title!? You've become a Reploid, Bass! You're not a regular robot anymore! You have the ability to think on your own and do whatever you want! You're just like a human!"

Bass froze for a moment.

"Like... Like a human...?" He shook.

"Yes! You're no longer bounded by your original programming! You have complete and total free will!"

Bass was frozen in confusion. How could he answer such a question; A good one at that? Bass was indeed upgraded to a full-fledged Reploid, albeit a special one like Mega Man. His programming told him to defeat Mega Man, and that desire to do so made him rebellious towards his creator; All because he was so bent on fulfilling that goal of being the strongest robot in the world.

"Tell me, brother..." Kai interrupted. Hyper Neo looked at his brother's eyes. "...Why do you want to preserve this world? I am sure you are aware of the multiple wars this world has went through for centuries. The Wily Wars, the Maverick Wars, the Elf Wars, the Neo Arcadia Wars. Even before the 21st Century, the humans have fought in wars over trivial excuses."

"You would protect pigheaded humans; humans that are dumb enough to start pointless wars?"

Hyper Neo removed a hand from his folded pose, and...shrugged. "You are just looking at the negative side of things, Bass Kai."

"It is true. Humans can be just as dangerous as any Maverick." Hyper Neo said. "However, based on what I've seen in my life, humans and reploids alike can be nice and caring. I fight so I can see more of that. I want people to be happy; to not worry about when they'll perish by Maverick's hands... I fear that I won't be able to change the minds of everyone, as when there is light comes darkness... But at least, if I can purge this world of Mavericks, our planet will not have to worry about major enemies bent on total domination."

Hyper Neo folded his arms again and looked at the sky, the rain pouring down harder. He has never smiled once since he's attained this hyper form. However, his face seemed to be at peace just a little as he looked at the clouded skies.

"This world... It can be a beautiful place... I love my world for the people and the environment... Even with all the wars, I still see hope... Hope that we can break the cycle of war and aggression..."

Hyper Neo returned his attention back to his brother. "From what I've heard from you, you always look down, and never up. That's your problem."

Kai closed his eyes. He carefully listened to his rival's words. His foe, the one who managed to surpass him via his new form, was speaking his heart out about how he feels towards the world. He admits the negative side of things, but brings out the positives.

"With all this in mind you two..." Mega began.

"What is your purpose? _What is it that you are fighting for?_ "

Bass and Kai were both speechless. Once more, they looked at each other, taking Rokku and Mega Man's words seriously. Bass, now a reploid, could fully and clearly hear Mega Man's positive words. Before, his programming clouded his judgement. However, there were times were he began to question who he should be _really_ be fighting, but he would think of Mega Man and disregard any other thoughts.

Without his primitive programming holding him back, he could now think for himself.

Nero's eyes darted everywhere as his mind went to various places.

"Bass Kai... I mean... Nero..."

Nero looked at his arch-rival, his arms dropped beside him.

"If you truly _are_ my brother..." Hyper Neo began. "Then let's not fight each other to death... I don't want to kill the only flesh and blood I know..."

Nero's face softened a little. He then closed his eyes and sighed.

"Yes... You are right, Rokku..." Kai spoke. "I was blinded by a simple belief... You are in fact my brother... And it would be a shame for the blood of my own sibling to be shed by me, another sibling..."

Hyper Neo stared at his brother. His eyes slowly widened a little.

Bass could feel his hatred... His passion... Slowly fading...

However, a fierce expression glowered over the reploid's face.

"I will defeat you Mega Man..." Bass began.

Mega Man frowned in disappointment.

"Whatever form you take... I will face you...

"... **As my rival**..."

Mega Man gasped while Hyper Neo's eyes widened.

"Fighting you...is what excites me the most...!" Bass continued. "You, who pushes me to become stronger...! You, who gives me a reason to defeat you!"

"The thrill of battle... The intensity... I live for all of it!"

"I say this as a reploid, not a simple robot...!"

"You want to know my purpose is? What I'm fighting for?"

Bass dramatically pointed at him with a rather psychotic expression.

" _ **You, Mega Man! I'm fighting to one day defeat you, my irreplaceable rival!**_ "

" _ **That is my purpose, you hear!? To defeat you! That is my purpose in life!**_ "

Strangely, despite the words being yelled out, Mega Man couldn't help but... _smile_.

He could feel the honesty in Bass' voice. He truly wants to defeat him, but he now gets a better understanding as to why. He could hear no hatred in Bass' voice when he tells him his goals. Instead it was more competitive. Although, he was definitely sounding arrogant and prideful about it...

Mega Man closes his eyes, smiling happily as he believes that the hatred he felt in Bass has disappeared.

 _"I understand Bass... You may not want to say it out loud, but I read you loud and clear..."_ Mega thought happily. _"When we fight, we are bonded by our battle spirit... Your pride just won't allow someone like me to surpass you... That's all... But now that you've really thought about your purpose, you see me as your 'rival' rather than your enemy... Fighting is the best way you can communicate..."_

 _"I can understand why Rokku likes to battle... Battles can form friendships as well... When two fierce competitors battle each other, they bond over their love for battle... Rokku likes to battle to form friendships, not to make enemies... It's very competitive and... I enjoy it a little..."_

"Rokku." Kai started, looking at his brother. "If protecting the world is your desire, then I shall respect it. You have so much faith in humanity that I find it difficult not to respect you..."

"However," Kai grinned, showing a sign of arrogance. "Should you ever go back on your word, I'll kill you without hesitation."

Hyper Neo gazed at his brother. He folded his arms once again and closed his eyes. "Hmph."

He opened his eyes once more and looked at the one he could truly call ' _his brother_ '.

"I know that our battles won't end until our time is up..." Hyper Neo said. "But I want you both to promise Mega and I something..."

Bass looked at Hyper Neo, curious as to what this 'promise' was. "Hm?"

Mega took the baton and continued what Hyper Neo was going to say.

"Bass... Nero... If we are to continue fighting, let it be for **_honor_**... Not **_hatred_**..."

Mega Man smiled happily as his holographic image was glitching out.

"Promise me..." he says before disappearing back into the Combi-Carrier.

Slowly, Bass' hologram disappeared too, leaving only with a frown.

Kai and Bass said nothing. "..."

To be speaking so friendly... Or more accurately, " _normally_ " with the ones they could've potentially killed, Kai and Bass were a little shook by it. It was strange and was going to take some getting used to.

However, Rokku and Mega Man awaited their answer to their promise, patiently one might add.

Honestly, Mega Man just wanted to hear Bass admit that he no longer wants to fight out of hatred. It would mean so much to him if he could do that.

Kai was the one to break the silence. "I..."

 _ **GRAAAAAAAWWWWWW!**_

~Megadimension Neptunia VII - Emergency~

Suddenly, the sound of a mighty mechanical roar shook the entire area.

Hyper Neo and Bass Kai looked towards the direction of the roar and to their surprise, they saw a giant mechaniloid dragon, soaring towards them. It slowly descended to the ground and landed on the ground. Beside the mechaniloid dragon was a female clad in yellow and white. She had long purple hair and fierce purple eyes.

The mechaniloid dragon was clad in shades of gray and black. This mechanical beast was **7 meters tall!**

"What is this?" Hyper Neo asked to Bass Kai. He took a closer look at the girl. "Hold on... That girl..."

The girl glared intensely at the two standing on the opposing side.

Upon observing the girl further, Hyper Neo came to a sudden realization...

 _"That girl... On top of that tower in Tera City...! It's her...!"_

"The girl, her name is **_Teiran_**." Bass Kai said to his brother.

The heaven knight looked at his sibling in confusion. "Hm...?"

Bass Kai slowly closed his eyes. "Shade calls her, _**the Knight of Despair**_."

Hyper Neo and Mega Man's eyes shot wide open.

This girl, Teiran, was the Knight of Despair they heard so much about...! She was the one they saw on top of the tower in Tera City shortly after General Payne and his crew arrived to end the battle with Magne...!

She's the one Shade sought...!

She's the one Mega Man Neo needed to take down!

" _ **Hahahahahaha! I found you at long last, Mega Man Neo!**_ "

Hyper Neo searched around for the source of the voice, but Kai pointed directly at the mechanical dragon. The hyper hero looked on to see a hatch at the mecha dragon's stomach area open up. What the modern Blue Bomber saw was shocking to say the least.

A teenager, admittedly looking older than Rokku and Nero, was sadistically grinning down at the two brawlers with his leg propped over the other and resting his cheek on his fist. His hair was a dead-looking shade of blue, he had purple eyes, and wore a dark trench coat with red interiors. He also wore boots that had thematic spikes on it and two glowing upside down triangles on the front of the boots.

"Today is just my lucky day...!" He snarled with glee.

Hyper Neo was trying to piece together what was happening... It was a lot to take in.

The Knight of Despair, properly known as Teiran, was a girl who Rokku and Mega had assumed called the shots in Tera City. Here she was, looking a lot deadly and menacing now that they saw her up close and personal.

But who was this man inside dragon mechaniloid that turned out to be a super mech...?

"Alright... Who are you?" Hyper Neo asked, pointing at the man inside the mech.

The man let out a laugh. "Well, you sound and look a lot more mature than the last time I saw you."

Hyper Neo was confused about... everything about this guy in the mech. Nonetheless, the man continued.

"It would appear that you have awakened your ultimate power much earlier than I anticipated..." The man said, tapping the bottom of his chin with a wicked smile. "...Perfect... Just perfect..."

"Hey. I asked you a question, scumbag. Answer me." Hyper Neo harshly demanded.

The man was a little surprised by the hero's brash attitude. Possibly a result of his transformation.

However, he ignored his rudeness and spoke.

"I'm sorry that I ignored your question." The man apologized sincerely.

He then grinned arrogantly as he pointed his thumb towards himself.

"My name is **_Wraith_**. This is our first encounter, face-to-face. Nice to meet you, Mega Man Neo."

His grin extended further, looking devilish and more sadistic than before...!

"We have so _**much**_ to discuss, my friend... I hope you're in a talkative mood..."

" **Hehehehehehe...** _ **Hahahahahahaha...** **GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!**_ "


	18. UPDATE!

**Hello everyone!**

I'm writing this to let everyone on this site know that I am not dead! As I've stated plenty of times, I am most active on DeviantART.

Now, I said in the beginning of Chapter 16 that I would work on Remasters AFTER Chapter 18... Ehhhh, I decided to start that early. X'D As of this writing, I have Chapters 1-7 "Remastered"...and I'm taking a long time for no goddamn reason. ^_^U I'll be back to writing regular Chapters soon! However, I will continue my remasters and I'll try to post Chapters 1-7 here (they'll replace the original Chapters).

The only Chapter that got the most major change is the ENTIRETY of Chapter 2 and the beginning of Chapter 3. Chapter 2 is 100% rewritten and stars Shade, another protagonist of this series (she originally debuted in Chapter 10).

Anyway, I'm still alive! I'll be working on Chapter 17 reaaaal soon (I accidentally deleted the beginning of Chapter 17 back in October and I'm pretty peeved about it... T_T). Remember, I'm seen primarily on DeviantART and under the same username too~

In the meantime, I have a canonical one-shot I posted. In regards to Chapter order, the One-Shot is placed between Chapters 3 and 4.


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